Anaerobic Digestion

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of energy generation was produced through anaerobic digestion in each of the last three years; and what steps his Department is taking to increase the levels of energy production through that source.

Dan Rogerson: The following table details UK energy generation from anaerobic digestion over the period requested:
	
		
			 UK energy generation from anaerobic digestion 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 Percentage of supply 0.15 0.20 0.23 
			 Percentage of final consumption 0.22 0.29 0.33 
		
	
	The Government is committed to increasing energy from waste through anaerobic digestion. We continue to provide financial support for its growth through low carbon incentives, the Green Investment Bank and a Driving Innovation Fund to reduce costs and improve efficiency. We have also provided support through a loan fund.
	Most of the actions in our 2011 Anaerobic Digestion Strategy have been delivered to help overcome barriers to deployment and facilitate an increase in energy from this source. Other actions are ongoing.

Environment Agency

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many legal and enforcement cases there were in each geographic area of the Environment Agency on 26 February 2014; and how many such cases were (a) under investigation, (b) being considered for enforcement action, (c) being considered for legal action by the legal services department and (d) issued and proceeding through the courts;
	(2)  how many enforcement cases run by the Environment Agency were (a) under investigation, (b) proceeding, having been issued in the courts and (c) completed on 26 February 2014.

Dan Rogerson: For points (a) to (d) following, the data was gathered for the purpose of answering these sections on 14 March this year and relates to that date, not 26 February.
	(a) The number of current investigations in the Environment Agency regions at 14 March is:
	
		
			 Region Total 
			 Midlands 108 
			 South West 213 
			 North West 208 
			 Anglian 272 
			 South East 537 
			 Yorkshire/North East 198 
		
	
	(b) All of the above investigations will be considered for enforcement action in due course.
	(c) The number of cases being considered for legal action by the Environment Agency's legal services department is:
	
		
			 Region Total 
			 Midlands 58 
			 South West 66 
			 North West 47 
			 Anglian 22 
			 South East 58 
			 Yorkshire/North East 146 
		
	
	(d) The number of cases issued and proceeding through the courts is:
	
		
			 Region Total 
			 Midlands 21 
			 South West 24 
			 North West 44 
			 Anglian 28 
			 South East 31 
			 Yorkshire and North East 94 
		
	
	The Environment Agency does not believe that there were any cases resolved on 26 February this year. However, it can routinely take three to four weeks for the Environment Agency's records to be finalised.

Flood Control

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on flood defences per head of population in (a) England and (b) each region of England in each year since 2009.

Dan Rogerson: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Average spend per head on flood and coastal erosion risk management in England 
			  £ 
			 2008-09 10.62 
			 2009-10 11.83 
			 2010-11 12.52 
			 2011-12 10.71 
			 2012-13 10.77 
		
	
	
		
			 Average spend per head on flood and coastal erosion, risk management in each of the Environment Agency regions 
			 £ 
			 EA region 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Anglian 18.86 16.75 17.70 18.98 20.93 
			 Midlands 9.96 11.01 12.10 9.31 7.04 
			 Yorkshire and North East 9.52 12.51 12.07 11.15 11.10 
			 North West 8.64 9.66 11.47 8.69 8.70 
			 South East 7.92 10.08 10.10 8.91 9.26 
			 South West 16.19 15.80 18.43 11.77 13.21 
		
	
	The figures for each year is the total DEFRA spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management divided by the most recent ONS population estimate for mid-2012.

Water Charges

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the letter of 19 March 2014 from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Water, Forestry, Rural Affairs and Resource Management to the hon. Member for Torbay, what the evidential basis is for his statement that offering a water company funding for domestic users who happen to occupy business premises would risk such a payment being classified as state aid under European legislation.

Dan Rogerson: This rebate is for household customers of South West Water only. It would be inappropriate to subsidise the water bills of large businesses from limited public funds. We could not distinguish between small and large businesses without spending public money on a bureaucratic application process which would further reduce the funding available to support household customers. Furthermore, any payment of public funds to a business of any size is open to challenge under the European State Aid rules. If such a payment was determined as unlawful, those businesses would be legally liable. This risk would be disproportionate to the benefit conferred by the annual £50 reduction. Therefore, in the case of 'mixed use' premises, the bill reduction can only apply where the person liable to pay the council tax is not also liable to pay business rates for those premises.

Energy

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of people who have switched energy suppliers in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency, (b) Yorkshire and Humber and (c) England in each of the last 60 months.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not hold any sub-national data on switching energy suppliers, data is only available for Great Britain. This data is published in table 2.7.1 of the DECC publication Quarterly Energy Prices, which is made available online at the link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-switching-statistics

Environment Protection: Taxation

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 721, on Government levies on energy bills, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of a freeze of the carbon floor price on the number and capacity of projects that will be brought forward under the levy control framework.

Michael Fallon: The levy control framework has been designed with the flexibility to be able to respond to policy changes. The Government expects to meet its renewable energy ambition as set out in the Electricity Market Reform Delivery plan within the Levy Control Framework.

Environment Protection: Taxation

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 725, on Government levies on energy bills, when he plans to present to the House the first annual report on consumer-funded policies, covering actual expenditure and forecast expenditure.

Michael Fallon: The first annual report on consumer-funded levies will be published to a timetable consistent with Ofgem’s reporting on the renewables obligation for 2013-14, scheduled for March 2015. Officials are currently considering how that date could be brought forward.

Working Hours

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) civil service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has a flexible working policy which allows its staff to apply to work through a range of flexible working options. These include part-time working, job sharing, compressed hours, as well as working from home on an occasional or more regular basis or as part of a formal arrangements where staff are officially based at home. DECC does not hold central records of those staff who have made a statutory application for flexible working.
	Information relating to staff who work part-time is recorded centrally and the proportion of those by (a) civil service pay grade and (b) gender is set out in the following tables:
	
		
			 Civil service pay grade 
			 Percentage 
			  Full-time Part-time 
			 AO 89 11 
			 EO 93 7 
			 HEO 96 4 
			 FASTSTREAM 100 0 
			 SEO 95 5 
		
	
	
		
			 G7 91 9 
			 G6 86 14 
			 SCS 91 9 
			    
			 Total 92 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Gender 
			 Percentage 
			  Full-time Part-time 
			 Female 86 14 
			 Male 98 2 
			    
			 Total 92 8

Fines

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) date, (b) amount and (c) reasons were for any fines or penalties his Department has paid to HM Treasury since May 2010.

Stephen Hammond: The following table shows fines and penalties collected and passed on to HM Treasury by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency:
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Financial Period Late Licensing Penalties Traditional Enforcement Wheel-Clamping Continuous Insurance Enforcement Total 
			 2010-11 29 12 8 0 49 
			 2011-12 24 7 5 2 38 
			 2012-13 28 6 5 3 42 
			 2013-141 13 5 5 4 27 
			 1 The figures for 2013-14 are interim (April - February) and subject to year-end adjustments. 
		
	
	The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (which now includes the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) also collects fines and penalties on behalf of HM Treasury, figures are shown as follows and are not yet available for 2013-14. Fixed penalties are recouped from drivers and operators of PCV/LGVs for a number of different possible infractions. Bus penalties—the Traffic Commissioners may impose financial penalties against bus operators as part of their regulatory role.
	
		
			 £000 
			 Financial Period Fixed Penalties Bus Penalties Total 
			 2010-11 2,431 197 2,628 
			 2011-12 2,142 41 2,183 
			 2012-13 1,808 221 2,029

Fisheries

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to ratify the International Labour Organisation amendment C188 on the Work in Fishing Convention, in respect of a minimum age for work on a fishing vessel, minimum medical standards, basic work agreements, occupational health and safety, and social security.

Stephen Hammond: The Government supports the principles behind the International Labour Organisation Convention on Work in Fishing (No. 188), and is working with the fishing industry to develop proposals for implementation of the Convention, including those aspects listed above.
	The UK will make a final decision on the appropriateness and timing of ratification once the impacts on the industry have been identified and assessed.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2014, Official Report, columns 511-2W, on High Speed 2 railway line, at what URL the March 2012 reports of HS2 Ltd are published; and on what pages of those reports the evidence that led to the decision to route via Crewe rather than Stoke-on-Trent is set out.

Robert Goodwill: The March 2012 report setting out the options that HS2 Ltd considered for Phase Two, and describing the process of analysing and refining them, can be viewed at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/options-for-phase-two-of-the-high-speed-rail-network
	The information relating to Stoke-on-Trent is in section 4.3 (pages 34 to 69).
	Further information can also be found in the 'HS2 Phase Two Engineering Options Report West Midlands to Manchester (parts 1 and 2)' at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-phase-two-engineering-options-report-west-midlands-to-manchester
	Section 7 in part 2 of the report sets out the history of line of route options studied (pages 279 to 283).
	Responses to the Phase Two consultation are being considered currently and no decisions have yet been taken on the route. We will make an announcement in the autumn.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2014, Official Report, columns 511-2W, on High Speed 2 railway line, what calculations were done to demonstrate that alternative schemes would fail to deliver sufficient additional capacity; and what the passenger load factor of High Speed 2 will be as against the passenger load factor of longer trains.

Robert Goodwill: Since 2009 we have considered a wide range of alternative options to a high speed railway including the use of alternative modes, a conventional speed line and upgrades to the existing rail network. The alternatives do not release capacity for commuter and freight services, fail to offer a robust solution to the problem of poor service performance and would significantly disrupt services as upgrade work is carried out.
	All of the calculations to demonstrate that alternative schemes would fail to deliver as much capacity as HS2 to address future levels of over-crowding have been published. These are summarised in the Strategic Case for HS2 released in October 2013
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-strategic-case
	From the October 2013 economic case, and for the standard case run, the average all-day load factor for HS2 services in 2036 for the full network is 41%, and accordingly higher during peak periods. Equivalent data for the alternatives has been published in the HS2 Strategic Alternatives Final Report (Atkins, 2013)
	http://assets.hs2.org.uk/sites/default/files/inserts/S%26A%201_Economic%20case_0.pdf

Transport: Schools

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the number of schools that undertake cycling training; whether his Department provides information to schools on the wearing of cycle helmets by children; and if he will take steps to ensure that a Travel to School Policy becomes compulsory for all local education authorities in relation to schoolchildren and safety.

Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport provides funding for the delivery of Bikeability cycle training in England. Currently approximately 8,177 schools take part in training delivered by either their Local Highway Authority or School Games Organiser Host School.
	Bikeability courses include discussions on helmets during the equipment check. Those wearing helmets are taught how to fit and adjust them correctly and there are also wider discussions on safety equipment and what to wear.
	The Department for Education expects local authorities to meet its Home to School Transport Duties which includes ensuring safe walking routes and sustainable local travel. There are no plans to change the legislation or the policies that underpin this.

Deportation

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serious misconduct complaints related to the use of control and restraint during enforced removal were referred to the Professional Standards Unit in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: Complaints made by, or on behalf of, detainees are managed in accordance with Detention Services Order 3/2011. All allegations of serious misconduct are referred to the Home Office Professional Standards Unit (PSU) for investigation. These include allegations made against staff who work in the detention estate or who are engaged in escorting work.
	Data on the number of complaints referred to the PSU is not recorded. Only data of those complaints where PSU have agreed to investigate are recorded. The number investigated relating to the use of control and restraint during enforced removal is detailed as follows:
	2010: 42
	2011: 30
	2012: 39
	2013: 19.
	These figures are based on management information, which is subject to change, and does not form part of our publicised statistics.

Entry Clearances

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  for what reasons there are differential rates for visas for dependents of British citizens coming from non-EU countries and visas for dependents of EU non-British citizens domiciled in Britain;
	(2)  if she will abolish the differential rates for visas paid by British and EU non-British citizens living in the UK for dependents outside the EU and make the cost of all such visas the same as the EU rate.

James Brokenshire: Dependants of British citizens from non-EU countries who wish to enter the UK are required to apply for entry under the immigration rules. In line with its legislative powers, the Home Office sets immigration and nationality fees to reflect the administrative cost of processing an application as well as benefits and entitlements that may accrue if an applicant is successful. These fees apply to foreign national family members of British citizens applying for entry under the immigration rules. The Home Office believes that it is right that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system contribute to its running costs.
	The rights of EU nationals to live and work in other European Union member states, and to be accompanied by their non-EU family members, are set out in European Union law, in directive 2004/38/EC (“the free movement directive”), by which all EU member states are bound. The free movement directive does not cover the rights of EU citizens living in their country of nationality, so it does not apply to British nationals living in the UK. The free movement directive requires member states to issue entry clearance visas to non-EU family members of EU nationals free of charge.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress she has made regarding the 2014 opt-out pursuant to Article 10(4) of Protocol 36 of the Lisbon Treaty; and what timetable she has set for the UK opting back in to the measures to which that decision relates.

Karen Bradley: On 24 July 2013 the Prime Minister wrote to the President of the Council of Ministers exercising the UK's opt-out from all police and criminal justice measures agreed before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
	The Government has also announced 35 measures that it will seek to rejoin in the national interest. These are contained in Command Paper 8671:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/235912/8671.pdf

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures her Department has introduced in the last year to reduce the number of businesses employing illegal immigrants.

James Brokenshire: Employers have a duty to ensure that their employees have the right to work in the UK, and this duty has been underpinned by a civil penalty scheme since 2008. The Government is taking measures to ensure a tougher response to employers who use illegal labour, while simplifying arrangements for legitimate businesses to conduct right to work checks.
	To deter employers from using illegal workers, the Home Office is doubling the maximum penalty to £20,000. The Government is also using the current Immigration Bill to make it easier to enforce unpaid civil penalties in the civil courts. In addition, with the creation of the new Immigration Enforcement Directorate last year, there has been a 47% increase in illegal working enforcement operations and a corresponding increase in civil penalties imposed, with 1,862 penalties served in 2013-14 (to the end of February) compared to 1,270 in 2012-13. We are also ensuring greater collaboration across Government to increase our “enforcement reach” and the range of sanctions that can be brought to bear against rogue employers who exploit illegal workers.

Academies

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education who owns the freehold of schools which have converted to academies; and what restrictions there are on the use of such freeholds.

Edward Timpson: When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust.
	There are strict rules protecting publicly funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in published guidance, which is available at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice
	A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

Foster Care

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department issues guidance to local authorities on how best to make use of unutilized foster carers.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education has not issued guidance to local authorities on how best to make use of unutilised foster carers. Local authorities are required, under section 22G of the Children Act 1989, to take steps that secure, so far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within the authority's area that meets the needs of children that the local authority is looking after, and whose circumstances are such that it would be consistent with their welfare for them to be provided with accommodation that is in the local authority's area ('the sufficiency duty').
	Since April 2013 the Department has been working with consortia of local authorities and sector partners to:
	1. develop and test innovative solutions for the recruitment and retention of foster carers
	2. identify gaps in the capacity of the foster carer workforce
	3. develop effective strategies for recruiting and retaining foster carers.
	We will be sharing the lessons learned and disseminating any tools that have been developed during the project more widely following testing.

GCSE: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children received A* to C grades in GCSE (a) mathematics, (b) English, (c) geography and (d) sciences in Brigg and Goole constituency in each year since May 2010.

David Laws: The table gives the number and proportion of pupils who received A*-C grades in GCSE (a) mathematics (b) English (c) geography and (d) sciences in Brigg and Goole constituency in each year since May 2010. Regional and national figure have been included as appropriate comparators.
	
		
			 Achievements at GCSE1 for pupils2 at the end of key stage 4 for Brigg and Goole parliamentary constituency. Years: 2009/10 to 2012/13 (revised)3. Coverage: England4, state-funded schools (including academies and CTCs) 
			   No. of eligible pupils1 No. achieving a grade A*-C in GCSE mathematics %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE mathematics No. achieving a grade A*-C in GCSE English %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE English No. achieving a grade A*-C in GCSE geography %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE geography No. achieving a grade A*-C in GCSE Science6 %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE Science6 
			 2012/13 Brigg and Goole 1,055 773 73.3 753 71.4 250 23.7 642 60.9 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 58,260 40,659 69.8 39,017 67.0 11,207 19.2 31,650 54.3 
			  England4 569,118 406,585 71.4 390,004 68.5 122,252 21.5 330,569 58.1 
			            
			 2011/12 Brigg and Goole 1,051 787 74.9 718 68.3 152 14.5 622 59.2 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 58,520 39,403 67.3 38,063 65.0 9,202 15.7 31,968 54.6 
			  England4 559,076 388,487 69.5 375,015 67.1 99,713 17.8 330,422 59.1 
			            
			 2010/11 Brigg and Goole 1,079 680 63.0 757 70.2 161 14.9 618 57.3 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 59,052 36,063 61.1 38,912 65.9 9,047 15.3 31,906 54.0 
			  England4 564,863 368,922 65.3 392,153 69.4 96,364 17.1 333,682 59.1 
			            
			 2009/10 Brigg and Goole 1,068 686 64.2 705 66.0 121 11.3 644 60.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 60,181 35,499 59.0 38,010 63.2 8,821 14.7 33,828 56.2 
			  England4 575,970 360,532 62.6 382,870 66.5 98,098 17.0 346,131 60.1 
			 1 Full GCSEs only have been included (Full GCSEs, double awards, accredited international certificates and their predecessor iGCSEs and AS levels). 2 Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. 3 Figures for 2009/10 to 2011/12 are based on final data , figures for 2012/13 are based on revised data. 4 The figures in this table do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. 5 The percentage of pupils achieving each of the subjects is based on the number of eligible pupils at the end of key stage 4 and hence the denominator may include pupils who did not enter the given subject. 6 Science subjects include: applied science, additional applied science, science (core), additional science, environmental and land-based science, biology, chemistry, physics, AQA level 1/level 2 GCSE in science B and AQA level 1/level 2 GCSE in science A. Source: National Pupil Database

Ofsted

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education who is responsible for monitoring and approving the use of Government-funded credit cards by employees of Ofsted.

David Laws: This question is a matter for Ofsted. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wiishaw, has written to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.

Primary Education: Computers

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the current level of teachers teaching ability whilst using tablet computers in primary schools.

Elizabeth Truss: The available evidence suggests that teachers adapt quickly to using tablets as a tool for learning.

Primary Education: Surrey

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of education standards in primary schools in Surrey. [R]

David Laws: In Surrey local authority, 89%, 85% and 86% of primary pupils achieved level 4 or above in the reading test, writing teacher assessment and mathematics test respectively. The performance of Surrey is higher than all schools nationally where 86%, 83% and 85% achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics respectively.
	This information is published in table 11 to 16 of the “National curriculum assessments at key stage 2: 2012 to 2013”1 statistical first release. This is available in the "Local authority and regional tables: SFR51/2013" document. This document also contains information on pupil progress.
	1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum -assessments-at-key-stage-2-2012-to-2013

Pupils: Bullying

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people with learning disabilities reported being bullied at school in each year for which figures are available.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education does not collect information on the number of people with learning difficulties reported being bullied at school.
	The Government is clear that bullying, for whatever reason, is totally unacceptable. All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy with measures to address all forms of bullying including that which occurs online. Schools have the freedom to shape these measures in the context of their particular local circumstances and pupils’ needs. Schools are held closely to account by Ofsted for how well they deal with pupil behaviour and safety, which includes bullying.
	We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations—Beatbullying, the Diana Award, Kidscape and the Anti-bullying Alliance (ABA) with the National Children’s Bureau (NCB)—to develop effective initiatives that prevent and tackle all forms of bullying.
	As part of their funding, the ABA has recently published a guide to cyber-bullying for SEND young people, which contains advice for schools on developing effective anti-bullying practice and we link to this report in our departmental advice on bullying.

Pupils: Bullying

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reduce absences from school due to bullying.

Elizabeth Truss: The Government has made tackling all forms of bullying a top priority. It is never acceptable for a child to be bullied, victimised or harmed in any way and the Government does not want any young person to be absent from school due to the effects of bullying.
	All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. Ofsted now holds schools clearly to account for their effectiveness. Under the current Ofsted framework, school inspectors consider pupil behaviour and safety, which includes how well schools prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.
	In the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers' powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyber-bullying.
	We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations:
	Beatbullying;
	the DianaAward;
	Kidscape; and
	the National Children's Bureau
	to develop effective measures in school to prevent and tackle bullying.
	Good schools create a positive ethos with clear expectations about pupil behaviour that prevent bullying from happening in the first place and deal with it quickly if it does occur.
	We recognise the effect that bullying can have, that is why on 17 March 2014 we published a factsheet to help schools identify and support pupils which is available here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying

Schools: Finance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the Statement of 13 March 2014 by the Minister for Schools, Official Report, columns 927-29, how much of the £350 million announced for the fair funding proposals will be allocated from the Exchequer in addition to that already indicated in his Department's budget.

David Laws: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan) on 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 84W.
	
		
			 Achievements at GCSE1 for pupils2 at the end of key stage 4 for Brigg and Goole parliamentary constituency. Years: 2009/10 to 2012/13 (revised)3. Coverage: England4, state-funded schools (including Academies and CTCs) 
			   No. of eligible pupils1 No. achieving an grade A*-C in GCSE mathematics %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE mathematics No. achieving an grade A*-C in GCSE English %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE English No. achieving an grade A*-C in GCSE geography %5 achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE geography No. achieving an grade A*-C in GCSE Science6 %5achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE Science6 
			 2012/13 Brigg and Goole 1,055 773 73.3 753 71.4 250 23.7 642 60.9 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 58,260 40,659 69.8 39,017 67.0 11,207 19.2 31,650 54.3 
			  England4 569,118 406,585 71.4 390,004 68.5 122,252 21.5 330,569 58.1 
			            
			 2011/12 Brigg and Goole 1,051 787 74.9 718 68.3 152 14.5 622 59.2 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 58,520 39,403 67.3 38,063 65.0 9,202 15.7 31,968 54.6 
			  England4 559,076 388,487 69.5 375,015 67.1 99,713 17.8 330,422 59.1 
			            
			 2010/11 Brigg and Goole 1,079 680 63.0 757 70.2 161 14.9 618 57.3 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 59,052 36,063 61.1 38,912 65.9 9,047 15.3 31,906 54.0 
			  England4 564,863 368,922 65.3 392,153 69.4 96,364 17.1 333,682 59.1 
			            
			 2009/10 Brigg and Goole 1,068 686 64.2 705 66.0 121 11.3 644 60.3 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 60,181 35,499 59.0 38,010 63.2 8,821 14.7 33,828 56.2 
			  England4 575,970 360,532 62.6 382,870 66.5 98,098 17.0 346,131 60.1 
			 1 Full GCSEs only have been included (Full GCSEs, double awards, accredited international certificates and their predecessor iGCSEs and AS levels). 2 Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. 3 Figures for 2009/10 to 2011/12 are based on final data , figures for 2012/2013 are based on revised data. 4 The figures in this table do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. 5 The percentage of pupils achieving each of the subjects is based on the number of eligible pupils at the end of key stage 4 and hence the denominator may include pupils who did not enter the given subject. 6 Science subjects include: applied science, additional applied science, science (core), additional science, environmental and land-based science, biology, chemistry, physics, AQA level 1/level 2 GCSE in science B and AQA level 1/level 2 GCSE in science A. Source: National Pupil Database

Bahrain

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports his Department has received on breaches of medical neutrality and the supply of medical care for people injured by security forces in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: We expect the Government of Bahrain to meet all its human rights obligations and ensure all patients have access to all the medical care they require.

Bahrain

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of progress by the Government of Bahrain towards ending torture and abuse of detainees since 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: We welcome the steps the Government has taken to improve accountability, including through the establishment of the Office of the Police Ombudsman and an independent Prisoners' and Detainees' Commission. However, we remain concerned by continuing allegations of mistreatment and torture and encourage the Bahraini Government in carry out thorough and transparent investigations into these allegations.

Bahrain

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the level of medical support given to victims of torture in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: We expect the Government of Bahrain to meet all of its human rights obligations and ensure all defendants have access to all the medical care they require.

Bahrain

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of confessions obtained through torture being used as evidence in terrorism cases in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The British Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. We have not received any specific evidence of the use of torture to extract confessions for terrorism cases. We continue to work with the Bahraini authorities to share best practice on torture prevention measures and address allegations of mistreatment.

Egypt

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with his Egyptian counterpart the jailing of journalists for legitimate news reporting activities and the case of Mr Hossam Meneai; and if he will make representations calling for Mr Menaei’s release.

Hugh Robertson: The UK is very concerned by the deterioration in freedom of expression in Egypt, and the arrest and charging of several journalists, including Mr Meneai who was released in February. On 6 February, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made clear the UK’s concerns about the closure of political space and the restrictions on freedom of expression in Egypt, including the arrests of human rights activists and journalists. We are monitoring the journalists’ cases closely and will continue to urge the Egyptian Government to demonstrate it is committed to respecting fundamental human rights, including the right of journalists to operate without fear of prosecution.

Egypt

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take diplomatic steps to respond to reports of violations of human rights and judicial processes in the simultaneous sentencing to death of 529 people in Egypt; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made a statement on 24 March saying he was 'deeply concerned' by the reports that 528 individuals were sentenced to death by a court in Al Minya, Egypt. He urged the Egyptian authorities to ensure full respect for defendants' rights, and expressed hope that they would review this unacceptable sentence.

Qatar

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to ensure that UK companies involved with construction around the Qatari World Cup 2022 provide good conditions of work.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and Business Secretary launched the UK's Action Plan on business and human rights in September 2013. It sends a clear message to British companies of our expectation about business behaviour, including those operating overseas. We welcomed Qatar's recently launched Workers Charter, developed with the International Labour Organisation, which seeks to protect the rights of migrant employees. We expect all businesses to comply with the Charter.

Russia

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which G8 sub-groups Russia has been a participant in the last 10 years; and what assessment he has made of the effect on the work of such sub-groups arising from the suspension of Russia from the G8.

David Lidington: There have been numerous G8 working groups over the past 10 years. Russia has participated in all these working groups as a member of the G8.
	No decision has yet been taken on how to proceed with these working groups following suspension of the G8.

South Korea

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the South Korean government on monitoring and controlling the South Korean distant water fishing fleet following the formal warning issued to South Korea by the EU about frequent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing violations in west Africa.

George Eustice: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	In accordance with the terms of the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) regulation, responsibility for engaging with third countries that have been identified as not co-operating in the fight against IUU fishing rests solely with the European Commission. While that engagement process is under way, it would not be appropriate for individual member states to make direct approaches to identified countries.

St Petersburg International Economic Forum

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government plans to send representatives to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: We continue to monitor events closely in Ukraine, including Crimea, and are considering carefully any HMG representation at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Ukraine

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the commitment in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement signed by the EU and the interim Ukraine administration on 21 March 2014 to a political dialogue designed to promote gradual convergence on foreign and security matters with the aim of Ukraine's ever-deeper involvement in the European security area reflects an EU policy objective of Ukraine eventually joining NATO; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: While NATO and the EU play complementary and mutually reinforcing roles in supporting international peace and security, they are separate organisations. There is no connection between the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and NATO membership.
	Ukraine, has a long standing relationship with NATO and is a valued contributor to a number of NATO operations. The UK Government continues to support defence reform in Ukraine and hopes that its Government will continue to work with NATO in the future.

Betting Shops

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to give local authorities powers to restrict the number of betting shops opening in their areas; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Boles: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 4 December 2013, Official Report, columns 741-42W, which outlines the broad advice we give to councils who want to use article 4 powers to tackle localised problems in relation to betting shops.
	The Budget announced the Government's intention of creating a wider 'retail' use class, excluding betting shops and payday loan shops.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is undertaking a broader review of gambling policy.

Ground Rent

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many rentcharge payers his Department has arranged to receive rentcharge redemption in (a) England, (b) Yorkshire and Humber and (c) Brigg and Goole constituency.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 20 March 2014
	This information is not centrally held in the form requested.

Housing: Construction

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the level of control that local planning authorities are able to exert in ensuring that developers deliver housing on sites identified as part of an authority's five-year supply.

Nicholas Boles: It is for local planning authorities to assess the likely delivery of sites that make up their five year supply. They should update their five year supply annually, and in doing so replace sites that are no longer likely to deliver housing in the five year period with ones that are.
	This Government has introduced a wide ranging package to support stalled house building. These include the Get Britain Building investment fund aiming to unlock new homes on stalled sites, and a £474 million investment fund in local infrastructure for stalled locally-supported, large scale housing sites and commercial development. Our investments to date are helping to bring forward new homes, boosting the construction industry and stimulating economic growth.
	The Growth and Infrastructure Act enables developers with any Section 106 agreement, irrespective of the date of signature, to apply for a review of the affordable housing component to ensure development is not being made unviable by unrealistic requirements. Such unrealistic Section 106 agreements result in no development, no regeneration and no community benefits: a sensible review can result in more housing and more affordable housing. Since September 2013, we have let lapse the temporary measure (introduced by the last Administration) which allowed developers to roll forward their planning permissions; this ending of the measure will increase the incentive for developers to start on site before permission expires. We are also now seeking to tackle the inappropriate use of planning conditions and speed up the process of gaining non-planning consents.
	In addition, we have a comprehensive programme to sell surplus and redundant public sector land and property, freeing up taxpayers' money and providing land for new homes.

Local Government Finance: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was received by Warrington Borough Council in council tax support funding in each year that such support has been available; and what estimate he has made of the amount that council will receive for 2015-16.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 24 February 2014
	The Government provided £3.3 billion to local authorities for localised council tax support in 2013-14 and intends to maintain this level of funding in cash terms in 2014-15 and 2015-16. There is no separately identifiable amount for this support at a local authority level within retained business rates or revenue support grant. Warrington borough council also received £270,363 in transition grant in 2013-14.

Multiple Occupation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many multiple occupancy properties there were in the UK in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  if he will make an assessment of the fire safety of houses converted into multiple occupancy properties;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of how many multiple occupancy properties do not have the correct licence;
	(4)  if he will make an assessment of potential effect on a neighbourhood of houses being converted into multiple occupancy properties;
	(5)  what recent representation he has received on multiple occupancy properties.

Kris Hopkins: The Department collects data based on an evolving annual question to local authorities
	"of how many Houses of Multiple Occupancy are there in your authority"
	to
	"estimate how many Houses of Multiple Occupancy are in your authority".
	The estimated total number of houses of multiple occupancy in England over the last 10 years are:
	
		
			  Estimated number 
			 2003-04 381,361 
			 2004-05 392,230 
			 2005-06 384,622 
			 2006-07 390,315 
			 2007-08 373,002 
			 2008-09 411,964 
			 2009-10 399,560 
			 2010-11 426,834 
			 2011-12 429,065 
			 2012-13 462,693 
			 Sources: 1. 2003-04 to 2010-11: Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix. 2. 2011-12 to 2012-13: Local Authority Housing Statistics. 
		
	
	As of 2012-13, 59,441 houses in multiple occupancy were estimated to be mandatory licensable dwellings as defined in section 55(2) (a) of the Housing Act 2004 and Statutory Instrument 371/2006. The Department has not made any estimate of the number that do not have the correct licence.
	There is a statutory duty on local authorities to licence larger higher risk houses of multiple occupation of three or more storeys housing five or more unrelated persons. The mandatory houses of multiple occupation licensing regime addresses poor management practices and aims to secure a reduction in death and injury from fire and other health and safety hazards, and ensures adequate provision of amenities.
	In addition to licensing powers, local authorities are responsible for the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which provides a risk based evaluation tool for local authorities to identify and protect against potential risks and hazards to health and safety from any deficiencies identified in dwellings. The Housing Act 2004 imposes a duty on local authorities, in partnership with their local Fire Rescue Authority, to take enforcement action against serious (Category 1) hazards. Furthermore, the Building Regulations (Part b) require smoke detection in all new and converted properties.
	Local authorities that are concerned about the number of houses of multiple occupation in their area may issue an Article 4 Direction under the Town and Country Planning Act (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. The effect of issuing an Article 4 Direction is that planning permission must be sought before converting a single use dwelling into a house of multiple occupation.
	The Department does not make any central assessment of the fire safety of houses converted into houses of multiple occupation, their potential effect on local neighbourhoods or their licensing status. These are matters for local authorities to consider when exercising their powers and duties.
	We have not received any recent representations from organisations concerning houses in multiple occupation. However, we have begun a review on conditions in the private rented sector. A discussion paper closed on 28 March 2014 and has elicited responses from a wide range of organisations. These responses will be used to inform the next stage of the review.

New Towns: Ebbsfleet

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what proportion of the Government's proposed Ebbsfleet development will be funded by (a) the private sector and (b) public-sector resources;
	(2)  what plans his Department has for how the new development corporation at Ebbsfleet will work with existing local authorities;
	(3)  when he plans to publish detailed proposals for the new development corporation announced for Ebbsfleet; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how the Government's proposed Ebbsfleet development will be funded;
	(5)  what consultations the Government has undertaken in drawing up plans for its proposed development at Ebbsfleet;
	(6)  what infrastructure his Department has planned and what resources it has allocated in relation to the development of housing at Ebbsfleet.

Kris Hopkins: At this year's Budget, we announced that we would consult on the creation of an Urban Development Corporation to deliver a new Garden City at Ebbsfleet. Discussions with the local authorities and other local partners are already under way, and we will consult formally on the draft order in due course.
	The Government will fund the creation and administration of the Corporation. We will consult with local partners on its precise scope and remit.
	The Budget also announced that up to £200 million funding for infrastructure will be available to support the work. Once established we expect the Corporation to identify funding priorities. Any public funding will be subject to proper value for money considerations.

Non-domestic Rates

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish guidance on how local authorities can keep business rates linked to green energy and carbon neutral or passive developments; and what proportion of business rates he expects local authorities to retain.

Brandon Lewis: The business rates retention scheme ensures that authorities keep 50% of business rates income from all properties, including green energy and carbon neutral or passive developments, in their local areas. In addition, the Government has already made regulations to ensure that business rates from new renewable energy projects will be retained in full by the relevant local authorities. The regulations can be found at the following address:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/108/contents/made

Wind Power

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many onshore wind farm applications for what wind capacity were received by the Secretary of State in each month in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013; and how many of those applications of what capacity had been recommended for consent by the Planning Inspectorate.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 25 March 2014
	I can confirm that 47 onshore wind farm appeals were recovered by the Secretary of State between 2009 and 2013.
	
		
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 January 1 — 1 — 4 
			 February — — — 1 1 
			 March 2 1 2 — 2 
			 April — — — 1 1 
			 May — — 1 — 1 
			 June — 1 1 1 1 
			 July — — 1 — 2 
			 August — — — 3 — 
			 September — 1 1 1 1 
			 October — 1 — 5 3 
			 November — 1 1 — 1 
			 December — — — 2 — 
		
	
	Of these recovered appeals since 2009, I would note that 21 are still in progress; 14 were rejected; eight were allowed as per the Inspector's suggestion. Five were rejected by Ministers taking a different opinion to the inspectors' suggestions; and four were withdrawn.
	All cases pre-date the final published planning practice guidance issued this year by my Department.
	The Department does not hold information on the energy capacity of onshore wind farms subject to a planning appeal.

Armed Forces: Complaints

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service complaints submissions of each type were received by the Service Complaints Wing in each year since 2010; how many such complaints were heard at (a) Level 1, (b) Level 2 and (c) Army Board level; what time was taken for each complaint to be completed at each level; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced changes to the Service Complaints System on 13 March 2014, Official Report, column 35WS, which should lead to higher proportion of complaints being decided more quickly.
	The following tables show since 2010 the number of service complaints received by the Service Complaints Wing in each year, the number of informal complaints and service complaints at Level 1, Level 2 and Army Board level resolved in each year, and the average time it has taken in days for complaints to be resolved in each year.
	Informal complaints have been included in these statistics and this is the first stage of a complaint. If it cannot be resolved, or an individual does not want to try to resolve their complaint informally, they are entitled to submit a service complaint.
	
		
			 Cases received from 2010 
			 Type of Complaint 2010 2011 2012 2013 20141 
			 Service Complaints2 390 — — — — 
			 Informal — 470 620 870 210 
			 Referred to Level 13 — 150 700 360 150 
			 Referred to Level 2 — 20 50 130 20 
			 Referred to Level 3 — 20 140 20 10 
		
	
	
		
			 Cases Resolved since 2010 
			 Type of Complaint 2010 2011 2012 2013 20141 
			 Redress of Complaint4 30 10 * 10 0 
			 Service Complaints 200 140 40 120 10 
			 Informal — 60 150 270 50 
			 Level 1 — 90 160 360 140 
			 Level 2 — * 10 40 10 
			 Level 3 — 0 * 40 10 
		
	
	
		
			 Average Time in Days to Resolve Complaints since 2010 
			 Level of Complaint 2010 2011 2012 2013 20141 
			 Informal  110 160 210 100 
			 Level 1  120 250 310 240 
			 Level 2  190 310 390 440 
			 Level 3  0 480 630 720 
			 1 Until 20 March 2014. 2 Until 1 January 2008, complaints were managed under single service policies and recorded on JPA as redress of complaints. A tri-Service policy was introduced and from 1 January 2008, JPA was amended to capture service complaints. The current complaints process was revised on 7 June 2010 and introduced the levels. It was not possible to record the entire process i.e. Levels 1, 2 and 3 on JPA until 1 January 2011. Therefore, it has not been possible to provide the full breakdown of information for 2010. 3 Figures shown in this answer for service complaints received at Level 1 may differ from the number published in the Service Complaints Commissioner's Annual Reports as the figures in this answer include any informal complaints which were subsequently raised to Level 1. 4 The previous service complaints and redress of complaints processes did not include the levels currently used, therefore it has not been possible to provide this breakdown for those complaints which were raised and/or resolved in 2010. 
		
	
	In accordance with the Data Protection Act and our obligations in relation to the protection of confidentiality when handling personal data, the figures provided have been rounded to the nearest 10, where '*' denotes a number less than, or equal to five. When rounding up number to the nearest 10, numbers ending in '5' have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Armed Forces: Complaints

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service complaints were taken to an employment tribunal in each year since 2008; how many such cases were found against his Department; how much compensation was paid as a result of such findings in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Service complainants must have made a valid Service complaint about the same matter, and have not withdrawn it, for the employment tribunal (ET) to be able to consider their complaint. The following table sets out details of ET claims lodged by Service personnel on this basis in each calendar year from 2008.
	
		
			 Calendar year Number of ET claims lodged in year ET claims found against the MOD Total ET award paid (£) 
			 2008 40 2 16,000 
			 2009 23 1 1— 
			 2010 32 1 6,000 
			 2011 25 1 2— 
			 2012 23 2 44,000 
			 2013 27 0 — 
			 1 Withheld. 2 To be decided. Notes: 1. More than one ET claim may be brought by the same individual. 2. The ET judgment and any award may have been made in a different year to the year the ET claim(s) were lodged or the year the associated Service complaint(s) were submitted. 3. Financial data has been withheld in one case where the ET judgment left the amount of the award to be agreed between the parties rather than determined by the ET. The agreed sum is confidential.

Armed Forces: Complaints

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints have been made in each year of operation of the Service Complaints Commission at each level of representation from (a) women and (b) minority ethnic personnel in each branch of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Under the current Service complaints systems, complaints can be considered at three levels, but this distinction does not apply to how a complaint is made.
	Data on Service complaints by gender was not recorded until 2012, following a recommendation by the Service Complaints Commissioner in her 2011 annual report. The number of complaints received by each branch of the Services from women in 2012 was as follows:
	Naval Service: 41
	Army: 68
	RAF: 41.
	Data on the number of complaints received by the Services from minority ethnic personnel has not previously been collected, but is being assembled for the 2013 Annual Report which is due to be published shortly.

Defence Animal Centre

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff were employed at the Defence Animal Centre at Melton Mowbray in each year since 2010.

Anna Soubry: The number of staff employed at the Defence Animal Centre in each year since 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Staff Numbers 
			 2010-11 235 
			 2011-12 230 
			 2012-13 225 
			 2013-14 240 
		
	
	The data has been rounded to the nearest five to limit disclosure and ensure confidentiality. The 2013-14 figures reflect a temporary surge in personnel who were recruited on fixed-term contracts and staff numbers are therefore expected to reduce in line with the drawdown of operations in Afghanistan.

Military Aid: Floods

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received on the work of military personnel in flood recovery operations.

Mark Francois: Defence personnel have, and continue to, provide invaluable support to the relief efforts. Defence’s contribution peaked at 5,000 personnel—from all three services and the reserves—providing everything from sandbagging to aerial reconnaissance, as well as highly visible reassurance to the public. This contribution to the national effort in response to flooding was at the behest of the respective local authorities.
	As of 21 March 2014, the Ministry of Defence still has 220 personnel committed in the field. They are assigned to support the Environment Agency, inspecting 150,000 flood defence assets across England. This task is expected to be completed by 4 April 2014. The Defence contribution will continue after this through the standard joint regional liaison officer network.

Females

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment she has made of trends in the number of women in public life.

Helen Grant: Women are now increasingly represented in public life but there is still more to be done. In 1979, only 3% of Members of Parliament were women; today, 22.6% are women. The 2010 general election also had 877 women candidates, which was a new record and an increase of approximately 22% on the 2005 general election. In addition, 45% of new appointees to public boards between April 2013 and September 2013 were women and the Government has set an aspiration that this figure will be 50% by the end of this Parliament.
	To help ensure greater representation of women in public and political life, the Government has enabled parties to use positive action, should they wish, to increase participation by under-represented groups; extended to 2030 the ability for parties to use women-only shortlists; and secured agreement with the three main parties to collect and publish data on the diversity of their candidates.

Older Workers

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities 
	(1)  what progress her Department has made in developing guidance and toolkits for employers on retention practices for older workers;
	(2)  with which organisations and individuals her Department has co-operated on the development of guidance and toolkits for employers on retention practices for older workers.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	We intend to build on the existing products available at:
	www.dwp.gov.uk/agepositive
	notably 'Employing older workers: an employer's guide to today's multi-generational workforce' and 'Employer case studies: employing older workers for an effective multi-generational workforce' published by DWP and the 'Healthy Ageing Workplaces On-line Toolkit for employers and workplace managers' developed by the Age Action Alliance.
	In order to develop these existing resources further we have approached key stakeholders, including the CBI, TUC, Age UK, Carers UK and many more.
	The Government is committed to publishing a Framework for Action on Extending Working Life later in the spring where we will say more about the development of guidance and toolkits.

UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when she expects to meet each of the recommendations in the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on the Seventh Periodic Report of the UK Government.

Jennifer Willott: Following the examination of the UK's seventh Periodic Report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in July 2013, and in accordance with our legally binding obligations under CEDAW, we are obliged to submit to the Committee the following reports on the steps taken to implement their recommendations on:
	i. Abortion laws and services in Northern Ireland by November 2014; and
	ii. Legal Aid and access to justice by November 2015.
	The Government is fully committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and the continued implementation of CEDAW to make the Convention a reality for all women in the UK. We are working with relevant Government Departments, the devolved Administrations and our overseas territories to consider the Committee's recommendations in their most recent concluding observations. The UK's eighth periodic report to the CEDAW Committee is due to be submitted to the Committee in 2017, where we will outline the action we have taken to implement those recommendations.
	In accordance with our obligations under this Convention, we are required to report on the recommendations by 2017 and be examined by the Committee in 2018.

UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps the Government has taken to meet each of the recommendations in the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Seventh Periodic Report of the UK Government; and what progress has been made on each recommendation.

Jennifer Willott: Following the examination of the UK's seventh Periodic Report by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in July 2013 I wrote to all my relevant ministerial colleagues asking them to consider the Committee's recommendations. Departments are taking forward the individual recommendations as appropriate, while my Department will be monitoring progress of implementation on a quarterly basis. In addition we have worked with the Women's Resource Centre and other NGOs to raise awareness of the recommendations and consult on priorities for implementation. In accordance with our obligations under this Convention, we are required to report on the recommendations by 2017 and be examined by the Committee in 2018.

Women's Business Council

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent members of staff she has allocated to support the work of the Ministerial Taskforce established to implement the recommendations of the Women's Business Council;
	(2)  what meetings (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials in her Department have held with external organisations or individuals to discuss the work programme of the Ministerial Taskforce established to implement the recommendations of the Women's Business Council;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the achievements to date of the Ministerial Taskforce established to implement the recommendations of the Women's Business Council;
	(4)  how many meetings of the Ministerial Taskforce established to implement the recommendations of the Women's Business Council have been held; on what date each such meeting was held; who attended each such meeting; and how many further meetings she expects will be held in 2014.

Jennifer Willott: Ministers have met twice since June 2013 to oversee delivery of the recommendations for government arising from the Women's Business Council report and to drive progress on Government's action plan, which was published in November 2013.
	The first meeting of this group was held on 5 September, chaired by the Secretary of State and attended by the Ministers for Women and Equalities, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, Minister of State for Employment and the Minister of State for Universities and Science. A further meeting was held on 27 November, again chaired by the Secretary of State and attended by the Ministers for Women and Equalities, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, the Minister of State for Employment, the Minister of State for Care and Support and senior officials representing the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and the Minster of State for Universities and Science. The next meeting of the group is to take place on 3 April, with further meetings likely to be held later this year.
	The secretariat for the ministerial group is provided by officials from the Government Equalities Office as part of their usual duties, supported by officials in other Departments. There are frequent and ongoing discussions involving Ministers and officials from several Government Departments and their external delivery partners to take forward the commitments within the action plan.

Developing Countries: Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the contribution of the Prime Minister of 19 March 2014, Official Report, column 781, what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take in the next six months to ensure that UK aid is not used to facilitate or procure gender-based abortions; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government does not promote or support abortion on the grounds of gender alone. Our work on girls' education, women's empowerment, skills and jobs aims to increase the ‘value' of girls and women in society and therefore tackle the pressures and incentives that drive preferences for male children.
	In 1994 over 180 states including the UK, signed the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, agreeing to “eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child”. To this end, we support and will continue to support Governments' efforts to prevent sex selective abortion. We do this through our own reproductive health programmes, and through key partner's such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),

Developing Countries: Forests

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2014, Official Report, columns 187-88W on developing countries: forest, in which of her Department's sponsored projects afforestation is used to minimise the risk of flooding.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID does not fund any projects which have a primary aim of using afforestation to minimise the risk of flooding.
	Some DFID projects involve afforestation that may have a secondary effect of minimising flooding. For example, DFID is supporting upland communities in Nepal to reforest slopes above their villages. This provides important benefits to local livelihoods and also reduces the risks of flooding and landslides.

West Africa

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to improve the capacity of governments and civil society in the west African coastal region to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and protect local artisanal fishing.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID supports the International Partnership for African Fisheries Governance and Trade (PAF), a programme led by the African Union. It aims to improve how fisheries are managed throughout Africa and to tackle problems such as illegal fishing.
	The programme has helped to set up the ‘Stop Illegal Fishing” (SIF) initiative. The SIF website is now a major source of information and news used by African countries on the issue. One of the activities SIF has supported in West Africa has been to work with the fishing industry in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone to develop a regional agreement against illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea.

Arts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government is taking to support (a) creative, (b) film, (c) music and (d) video games industries.

Edward Vaizey: Government is committed to working with the creative industries, primarily through the Creative Industries Council, to further boost their economic worth. Examples of support include creative content tax reliefs: last year Government introduced new tax reliefs for the animation and high end TV production sectors, a tax relief to support video games production will be introduced pending EU state aid clearance. At autumn statement 2013 the Government also announced a package of changes to the existing Film Tax Relief to support the sector and its cultural and economic contribution, subject to state aid approval.
	Specific Government initiatives for the music industry include the £2.5 million Music Export Growth Scheme, announced in September 2013 and funded by UKTI.
	Government also supports the creative sectors through funding for arm’s length bodies including the Sector Skills Councils, the BFI and the Arts Council of England. For example, Government is providing an additional £16 million in 2013-14 and 2014-15 for Creative Skillset to match fund skills initiatives in the film, television, animation, visual effects and video games sectors. The Arts Council is providing funding to the music industry through a range of programmes, including the £500,000 Momentum Music Fund which helps sustain and develop the careers of talented emerging artists and bands. In total, the Arts Council will invest around £70 million a year in music organisations up until 2015.

Betting Shops

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on changes to planning regulations relating to betting shops and changes of use for business premises; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The Government is undertaking a policy review of gambling, which will report before Easter. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and I have consulted with Ministers from a number of different Departments as part of this review.

Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government plans to ratify the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.

Edward Vaizey: The UK Government is currently considering the recently published Impact Review on the 2001 UNESCO Convention and a decision on whether we should review our position will then be made.

Direct Selling

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to respond to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's fourth report of Session 2013-14 on Nuisance Calls, HC 636.

Edward Vaizey: We will shortly provide a substantive response to the Culture Media and Sport (CMS) Select Committee's recommendations and conclusions, which were set out in their report of 5 December 2013.

Football

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will hold the first meeting of the working party to discuss the future of football governance; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: A proposal from Supporters Direct for an expert group on supporter ownership in football is under consideration by government and the football authorities, including terms of reference and timeframes of any resulting work in the area.

Football

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Government departments will be represented on the working party to discuss the future of football governance; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: All aspects of a potential expert group on supporter ownership in football are under consideration, including suitable government representation on the group.

Gaming Machines

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on her Department's reviews of regulation of fixed odds betting terminals; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The Government is undertaking a policy review of gambling, which is considering the regulation of category B2 gaming machines. This will report before Easter.

Public Libraries

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on support for community-run libraries.

Edward Vaizey: No guidance has been issued by the Department, however, the Arts Council England and the Local Government Association publication 'Community Libraries research Learning from experience: guiding principles for local authorities' (January 2013) identified factors which local authorities might find helpful when considering how best to design and manage their own library services. In addition, Locality, a registered charity that receives funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government, provides an online platform and resource for the community library network, bringing together advice and guidance, peer networking and access to a range of resources and remote support.

Special Olympics Great Britain

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding Special Olympics Great Britain has received from her Department in each of the last five years.

Helen Grant: The Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) received the following sums from Sport England during the past five years
	
		
			  Award (£) Programme 
			 2009 200,000 Investment in the 2009 Special Olympic summer games 
			 2011 225,000 Joint investment in SOGB and Mencap for 2011 to 2013 period 
			 2013 191,000 Additional funding for SOGB to deliver 2013 summer games

Sports: Learning Disability

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provisions are in place as part of the Government's Olympic Legacy commitments for people with learning disabilities.

Helen Grant: A key part of the legacy from London 2012 is securing lasting benefits for disabled people, and this includes people with learning disabilities. The key aims of the legacy for disabled people were-set out in “London 2012: a Legacy for Disabled People”, a report published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Office for Disability Issues in April 2011, which outlined the key legacy opportunities from the Olympic and Paralympic games for disabled people. These key aims were to:
	support opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity;
	promote community engagement through the games;
	transform the perception of disabled people in society.
	Sport England have provided funding to Mencap Sport/Special Olympics GB to help them support and guide governing bodies as they create opportunities for people with learning disabilities, and to help deliver the Special Olympics summer games. 42 out of 46 National Governing Bodies funded by Sport England have specific targets for the participation of disabled people.
	The recently launched campaign to secure a physical activity legacy from the games, “Moving More, Living More” aims to promote physical activity for all, and specifically highlights the importance of interventions and opportunities to help disabled people become more active.
	The Paralympic Legacy Advisory Group has been established by Government and the Mayor of London to bring fresh insight, challenge and new ideas to ensure that the legacy for all disabled people is as strong as possible. This group is made up of representatives from disabled people's user-led organisations, leading disability charities, Paralympians, broadcasters and business.

Tourism

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she plans to take to promote tourism in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) the UK.

Helen Grant: This Government is doing much to promote tourism in both North Yorkshire and the UK as a whole. North Yorkshire will benefit from a number of thematic campaigns currently being run by VisitEngland which can be found at
	http://www.visitengland.com/
	North Yorkshire will also feature in VisitBritain's forthcoming Countryside is GREAT campaign.
	For the UK as a whole, VisitEngland's Holidays at Home are GREAT campaign, has been launched and will be shown on mainstream terrestrial channels from 1 April 2014. The GREAT campaign, led by VisitBritain, showcases the very best of what Britain has to offer in order to encourage the world to visit, study and do business with the UK. VisitBritain also do a number of specific and bespoke campaigns to encourage overseas visitors to the UK. These can be found at
	http://www.visitbritain.com/en/EN/

Annuities

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes announced in the 2014 Budget Statement on the price of annuities; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: At Budget, the Government announced significant reforms to the pensions market, giving people greater choice about how to access their defined contribution pension savings. The Government expects the change to the pensions market to stimulate innovation and new competition in the retirement income market. This new flexibility will help consumers choosing to buy an annuity to get a better deal in a much more competitive market place.
	The shape of the market will be driven by the choices consumers make, placing power back into the hands of savers. As retirement changes, many people may opt to buy an annuity later in life, allowing them to benefit from higher annuity rates or at a time that better suits their individual circumstances.
	The Government is currently consulting on these reforms, and intends to respond to the consultation before the summer recess.

Annuities

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to protect those who wish to take out an annuity against a significant deterioration in the annuity market reducing the pool of resources and both raising the cost of annuities and reducing their rate of return.

David Gauke: At Budget, the Government announced significant reforms to the pensions market, giving people greater choice about how to access their defined contribution pension savings. For many people, purchasing an annuity will remain the best way to secure an income in retirement.
	Rather, the new flexibility will help consumers choosing to buy an annuity to get a better deal in a much more competitive market place. The Government expects the change to the pensions market to stimulate innovation and new competition in the retirement income market. The shape of the market will now be driven by the choices consumers make, placing power back into the hands of savers.
	As retirement changes, many people may, for example, opt to buy an annuity later in life, allowing them to benefit from higher annuity rates or at a time that better suits their individual circumstances.

Aviation

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the amount allocated to the Regional Air Connectivity Fund in line 37 of Table 2.1 of Budget 2014 is £10 million per annum and the increase in funding listed at paragraph 2.42 for that Fund is £20 million per annum.

Nicky Morgan: The Government announced a £10 million per annum regional air connectivity fund at the 2013 spending round. At the Budget the Government increased this by £10 million per annum to double the size of the fund to £20 million per annum.

Children: Day Care

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision he has made in funding for the tax-free childcare scheme beyond 2015 for increased take up from childcare resulting from maternal employment.

Nicky Morgan: Information on the behavioural effects accounted for in the expenditure of tax-free child care can be found in the Budget 2014 policy costings document:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293740/PU1638_policy_costings_ budget_2014.pd

Children: Day Care

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had with Atos and employers providing workplace-based child care before the announcement of his policy on tax relief for child care.

Nicky Morgan: As part of the process of policy development Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of stakeholder.
	As was the practice with the previous Administration, the Government does not disclose the details of these meetings.

Children: Day Care

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the effects of the introduction of tax relief on childcare on existing employer-provided childcare schemes in each of the next four financial years.

Nicky Morgan: Delivering tax-free child care: the Government’s response to the consultation on design and operation confirmed that employer-supported child care (child care vouchers and directly-contracted child care) will be closed to new entrants when tax-free child care is introduced. Parents who already receive support through that scheme will be able to continue receiving support for as long as they continue to be employed by their current employer, and the employer continues to offer the scheme. Workplace nurseries will not be affected by the changes.
	The document can be viewed at:
	www.gov.uk/government/consultations/tax-free-childcare

Children: Day Care

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the administration costs of the introduction of tax relief on childcare in each of the next four financial years.

Nicky Morgan: Information on how the cost of managing child care accounts in tax-free child care can be found in the Budget 2014 policy costings document, available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293740/PU1638_policy_costings _budget_2014.pdf

Coinage

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment has made of the overall cost to the economy of conversion to the new £1 coin;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the cost to the vending sector of converting all vending machines to accept the new £1 coin;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the cost to the gaming industry of converting all video games machines, slot machines and other arcade machines to accept the new £1 coin;
	(4)  if he will make funding available to help the (a) retail sector, (b) gaming industry and (c) vending machine operators meet the cost of the introduction of the new £1 coin;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the cost to the telecommunications industry of converting all telephone boxes to accept the new £1 coin; and if he will make funding available to this industry to help meet such costs;
	(6)  what assessment he has made of the cost to (a) local authorities and (b) other parking operators of converting all ticket machines and meters to accept the new £1 coin; and if he will make funding available to help meet such costs;
	(7)  what assessment he has made of the cost to the retail sector of converting all shopping trolley anti-theft guards to accept the new £1 coin.

Nicky Morgan: The Budget announced that the existing £1 coin will be replaced with a more modern and secure design. After 30 years in circulation, the current coin has become vulnerable to counterfeiting.
	There will be a public consultation this summer that will focus on how to manage impacts on industry and other affected parties. The Government is committed to working with these organisations to minimise costs and disruption.
	The Government plans for the new coin to be introduced in 2017. This timeline was decided expressly to allow industry three years to plan for the change.

Credit Unions

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many credit unions were operating in the UK in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Sajid Javid: The Government does not hold information on the numbers of credit unions operating in the UK. The data is held by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Currencies

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to support the development of virtual currency exchanges in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: The Government is working with the broader financial technology industry to identify the barriers to entry and growth that financial technology businesses in the UK experience and to identify potential ways for lowering them. Virtual currency exchanges have been involved in this work.

Financial Services

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regulatory standards he plans to put in place to ensure people have access to high quality financial advice.

Sajid Javid: At Budget 2014, the Government announcement that all those retiring with a defined contribution pension pot will be offered free and impartial face-to-face guidance at the point of retirement.
	The Government has asked the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), working closely with the Pensions Regulator and the Department for Work and Pensions, to co-ordinate the development of robust standards for this guidance and a framework for monitoring compliance. In developing these standards the FCA will work in partnership with consumer groups, the Pensions Advisory Service, and the Money Advice Service.
	The Government is now consulting on how this guarantee is best delivered through its consultation document, ‘Freedom and Choice in Pensions', available here:
	www.gov.uk/government/consultations/freedom-and-choice-in-pensions

Housing: Taxation

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether flats will be liable for the possible introduction of a levy on higher value homes.

David Gauke: The Government does not intend to introduce a new levy on higher value homes.

Investment Trusts

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government has taken to ensure that investment trusts are excluded from legislation on packaged retail investment products presently being considered by the European Parliament.

Sajid Javid: The Packaged Retail Investment Products (PRiPs) Regulation will create a standardised disclosure document, called a Key Information Document that will apply to all PRIPs manufactured in Europe regardless of the legal form (with the exception of UCITS, which have their own regime). This will create a level playing field for investment products and make it easier for investors to compare substitutable products. Since investment trusts companies are substitutable with other packaged retail investment products, the Government supports their inclusion in the regulation. The Government has however advocated a transitional exemption for those investment trust companies which have recently adopted the disclosure regime designed for UCITS.

Mortgages

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many endowment mortgage complaints have been rejected by insurance companies and upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service since 2010.

Sajid Javid: The Government does not collect data on the number of cases upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS routinely collects and publishes statistics about the complaints referred to them, which they make publicly available on their website.

Mortgages: Interest Rates

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking against mortgage lenders who breach the terms of tracker-rate mortgage contracts and unilaterally increase the interest rate charged.

Sajid Javid: The independent Financial Conduct Authority is responsible for the conduct regulation of residential mortgages, and sets the rules lenders are required to meet to ensure that consumers are treated fairly.
	It is worth being aware that when mortgage regulation was introduced in October 2004, it drew a distinction between owner-occupiers who face losing their home if things go wrong and buy-to-let landlords, whose properties are investments and who do not face the same risk. The Government is committed to regulating only where there is a clear case for doing so, in order to avoid putting additional costs on businesses that would ultimately lead to higher costs for customers.

Pensions

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to ensure that free and impartial guidance will be available to (a) drawing down their pensions at 55 and (b) taking partial retirement.

David Gauke: Alongside the more flexible pension reforms, the Government announced a new guarantee that everyone with a defined contribution pension will be offered free and impartial face to face guidance on their financial choices in retirement when they retire.
	It is important that this guidance ensures that consumers are empowered and equipped to make the most of their pension savings, and to make decisions that best suit their personal circumstances and risk appetite for the duration of their retirement. That is why the Government is introducing a new guarantee that all individuals with a defined contribution pension in the UK approaching retirement will be offered guidance at the point of retirement. How best to deliver this guidance forms part of the Government's consultation, “Flexibility and Choice in Pensions”.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Nick de Bois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many sales of properties that qualified for the 15 per cent stamp duty land tax rate have taken place in (a) England and (b) London to date;
	(2)  how many sales of properties that qualified for the seven per cent stamp duty land tax rate have taken place in (a) England and (b) London to date; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the average stamp duty yield in London is; and what this figure is as a proportion of the average London house price in the most recent month for which data is available;
	(4)  what the average stamp duty yield is in the UK; and what this figure is as a proportion of the average UK house price in the most recent month for which data is available;
	(5)  how much revenue accrued to the Exchequer from stamp duty land tax in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(6)  how much revenue accrued to the Exchequer from stamp duty land tax (SDLT) from properties in Greater London in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what this figure represents as a proportion of total SDLT receipts;
	(7)  what estimate he has made of the number of first time buyers in London who did not pay stamp duty land tax on the purchase of a new home between 1 April 2010 and 24 March 2012;
	(8)  how many sales of properties in each London borough qualified for the (a) three, (b) four and (c) five per cent stamp duty land tax in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012;
	(9)  how many sales of properties that qualified for the (a) three per cent, (b) four per cent and (c) five per cent stamp duty land tax rate took place in London in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and what proportion such sales represent of the total property sales in England at these bands.

David Gauke: HMRC has published stamp tax statistics for 2012-13 and we are therefore able to provide estimates for that year.
	The number of properties chargeable at the 15% rate is less than 100 nationally and is too small to break down into smaller geographical areas.
	The number of properties chargeable at the 7% rate in England is estimated to be approximately 3,100 and in London approximately 2,300.
	Stamp tax statistics for 2013-14 will be published on 27 September 2014 and thereafter will be available for supplementary analysis.
	The average stamp duty land tax yield in London and the UK for 2012-13 can be derived from the HMRC publication ‘UK Stamp Tax statistics 2012-13', which is available at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-stamp-tax-statistics
	The total number of transactions, value of transactions and stamp duty land Tax yield can be found in table 4.2. The average yield for residential properties in London is approximately £16,230, which represents 3.6% of the average residential property transaction.
	The average yield for the UK is approximately £5,283, which is 2.3% of the average residential property transaction.
	Total yield from stamp duty for the past 10 years can be found in the HMRC publication ‘Tax and NICs receipts: statistics table’ at this link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk
	Yield attributable to residential property for the UK and by Government office region is published in table 2.2 of ‘UK Stamp Tax statistics 2012-13', linked above. Yield for non-residential properties for the most recent year is contained in table 4.2 of that publication and historic data is held in the National Archives:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/*/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/menu.htm
	Relief from stamp duty land tax was available for residential property transactions where the consideration was more than £125,000 and not more than £250,000 and where the effective date of the transaction was on or after 25 March 2010 and before 25 March 2012. HMRC estimates that approximately 37,000 purchasers claimed First Time Buyer's relief in London during that period.
	The following table contains estimates of the number of transactions that took place in each London borough, the total for London and what that represents as a proportion of the total for England. Figures for the 3% and 4% bands are given for 2010-11. For 2011-12 and 2012-13 figures are also given for the 5% band.
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			  3% 4% 3% 4% 5% 3% 4% 5% 
			 Barking and Dagenham 110 1- 110 1- 1- 110 1- 1- 
			 Barnet 2,040 1,200 2,000 790 250 2,100 890 200 
			 Bexley 620 40 680 60 1- 790 50 1- 
			 Brent 1,040 350 1,180 300 100 1,240 310 80 
			 Bromley 2,020 630 2,020 510 110 2,180 560 70 
			 Camden 940 1,400 1,190 900 530 1,190 910 390 
			 City of London 700 440 790 360 120 830 360 70 
			 Croydon 1,220 270 1,180 190 40 1,390 220 1- 
			 Ealing 1,420 550 1,380 510 110 1,780 670 110 
			 Enfield 1,030 250 960 200 40 1,100 220 1- 
			 Greenwich 690 170 1,050 160 50 1,070 200 40 
			 Hackney 370 100 1,190 350 30 1,640 520 40 
			 Hammersmith 1,300 1,270 1,390 930 460 1,290 980 460 
			 Haringey 750 520 1,080 390 140 1,230 420 140 
			 Harrow 1,340 290 1,220 210 50 1,340 250 40 
			 Havering 790 150 760 90 1- 800 90 1- 
			 Hillingdon 1,430 210 1,340 250 1- 1,460 230 1- 
			 Hounslow 920 380 900 270 110 1,040 290 80 
			 Islington 690 470 1,470 740 210 1,550 790 240 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 880 3,000 750 1,130 1,620 650 1,070 800 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,280 390 1,140 340 60 1,300 390 60 
			 Lambeth 1,140 490 1,830 560 140 2,160 730 140 
			 Lewisham 860 170 1,080 150 1- 1,430 210 1- 
			 Merton 970 560 1,020 440 180 1,150 470 120 
			 Newham 170 1- 280 1- 1- 370 1- 1- 
			 Redbridge 1,260 210 1,160 180 1- 1,200 180 1- 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,670 1,360 1,420 950 360 1,650 1,000 330 
			 Southwark 1,280 500 1,750 560 150 1,640 690 150 
			 Sutton 810 150 850 170 1- 940 140 1- 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,410 290 1,860 390 90 2,340 460 60 
			 Waltham Forest 590 40 710 40 1- 970 60 1- 
			 Wandsworth 2,770 1,770 2,830 1,460 470 2,990 1,540 420 
			 Westminster 1,360 3,090 1,460 1,540 1,560 1,390 1,560 980 
			 London 35,800 20,700 40,000 15,100 7,000 44,300 16,400 5,000 
			 As percentage of England 25 42 28 41 61 29 42 57 
			 1 Figures suppressed to protect taxpayer confidentiality 
		
	
	Estimates are rounded to the nearest 10 transactions at borough level and 100 for London. Small estimates have been suppressed in order to maintain taxpayer confidentiality.

Tax Allowances: Personal Pensions

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income tax relief was payable in respect of personal pension contributions for income taxed at (a) 40 per cent and (b) 20 per cent in 2012-13; and how many people in each category received such relief.

David Gauke: Tax relief on pension contributions is the primary means by which the Government incentivises saving for retirement. The estimated contributions made to personal pensions and total tax relief in 2012-13 may be found in the published National Statistics produced by HMRC here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285089/PEN6.pdf
	The latest available estimates (from 2011-12) of the number of people receiving income tax deductions for their personal pension contributions and the value of deductions by different income levels can be found in Table 3.8 at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/276037/tables3-1_3-11.pdf

Tax Evasion: Travellers

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual amount of tax evasion attributable to gypsies and travellers.

David Gauke: In 'Measuring Tax Gaps 2013' HMRC estimated that evasion accounted for around £5.1 billion (15%) of the total tax gap in 2011-12. This can be found at the following link:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/tax-gaps/mtg-2013.pdf
	These estimates cannot be disaggregated by Gypsies and travellers.

Taxation: Pensions

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis the projection in the Budget 2014 that the pension proposals will generate £1.2 billion in marginal taxation by 2018-19 was calculated.

David Gauke: The Government estimates that the greater flexibility, announced for pensioners at Budget 2014, will result in faster withdrawal of pension income than would otherwise have been the case. The methodology behind this costing—which was certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility—can be seen in the “Budget 2014: Policy Costings” document (p. 11), available here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/295067/PU1638_policy_costings_bud_ 2014_with_correction_slip.pdf

Children: Day Care

Stella Creasy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the potential effects of the provisions of the Consumer Rights Bill on the administration and provision of child care vouchers; and if he will make a statement.

Jennifer Willott: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Where child care services are provided by a trader (eg a nursery school) to a consumer (eg a parent) under a contract, then Chapter 4 (the Services Chapter) of the Consumer Rights Bill will apply.
	This chapter requires that these traders provide services with reasonable care and skill and in line with certain information given about the service. If that is not the case, the chapter sets out remedies which the consumer is entitled to, such as a repeat performance or, failing that, a reduction in price. Consumers may also be entitled to damages under the common law and the Bill makes this clear. Where there are other enactments which apply, this chapter makes clear that those take precedence (clause 53), which ensures that current standards still apply where they are set out in existing enactments.
	In the case of child care vouchers offered under an employer-supported child care scheme, the contract for provision of child care is between the parent (consumer) and the child care provider (the trader), therefore child care provided using the voucher scheme is covered by this chapter of the Consumer Rights Bill.
	We expect that, overall, consumers will benefit from the proposed reforms to the services regime. We estimate quantified benefits of £33 million per annum, of which £9 million is from the reduced risk of consumer detriment. In addition to these quantified benefits there are a range of economic benefits that have not been quantified. The reforms would deliver market-wide changes through promoting confident consumers, experimenting with new products or services and switching suppliers, which in turn should drive innovation, greater competitiveness and deliver new opportunities for economic growth.
	The Government is also committed to improving the accessibility, affordability and quality of child care. To that end we are encouraging schools to offer more nursery provision, making it easier for people to take up childminding by introducing childminder agencies, and have introduced a new entitlement to funded early education for the least advantaged two-year-olds.

Botulinum Toxin

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards are in place to protect people against health problems arising from operations involving the use of botulism toxin.

Daniel Poulter: As a licensed medicine the safety of botulinum toxin itself is not under question and I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by the Minister of State, Department of Health, the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb), on 28 January 2014, Official Report, column 492W, which sets out the current arrangements for regulation of botulinum toxin products. However, as with other injectable products patients may experience adverse outcomes.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of pulmonary rehabilitation services that were at full provision in (a)  2010, (b)  2011 and (c)  2012;
	(2)  how much the NHS spends on provision of pulmonary rehabilitation services in England; and how much the NHS spends on provision of cardiac rehabilitation services in England.

Jane Ellison: No estimate has been made of pulmonary rehabilitation services that were at full provision in the years requested as this information is not held centrally. It is for local commissioners to determine the requirements to meet the needs of their local populations.
	The current national Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease audit will provide some information on the range and quality of pulmonary, rehabilitation services when it reports next year. Further information can be found at:
	www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/national-copd-audit-programme-starting-2013
	The Department does not collect data on how much the national health service spends on the provision of pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation services in the format requested.
	The Department collects reference costs annually from NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in England. However, these costs cover a broader range of procedures and some costs associated with cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation may relate to different services.
	Cost data related to providing cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation services for 2012-13 to NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts are listed in the following table.
	
		
			 Description Total cost (£ million) 
			 Rehabilitation for Acute Myocardial Infarction and Other Cardiac Disorders 10.4 
			 Rehabilitation for Respiratory Disorders 24.1 
			 Rehabilitation for Other Disorders 304.0 
		
	
	The following table shows the total cost to NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in 2012-13 for out-patient attendances for the service descriptions of cardiac rehabilitation and programmed pulmonary rehabilitation.
	
		
			 Service description Total cost (£ million) 
			 Programmed Pulmonary Rehabilitation 0.1 
			 Cardiac Rehabilitation 1.9

Dental Services: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children (a) are and (b) are not registered with a dentist in (i) Cumbria and (ii) South Lakeland;
	(2)  how many people (a) are and (b) are not registered with a dentist in (i) Cumbria and (ii) South Lakeland.

Daniel Poulter: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Under the current dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006, patients do not have to be registered with a national health service dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to “registration” is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services (“patients seen”).
	This data is available at Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) level. Cumbria CCG covers Carlisle, Eden, Allerdale, Copeland, Furness and South Lakeland areas.
	The number of children seen by an NHS dentist in the 24-month period ending 31 December 2013 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of patients seen Percentage of population 
			 England 7,876,013 69.0 
			 North of England region 2,353,508 73.7 
			 Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear area team 280,298 74.5 
			 Cumbria CCG 69,694 72.9 
			 Notes: 1. Percentage of the population figures use Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for 2011. 2. 0.2% of all data are assigned to an "Unallocated" CCG, usually because of an invalid postcode. These can still be assigned to an area team as this information is included in the raw data provided by the Business Service Authority (BSA), and thus they can also be allocated to a region. Source: NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2013/2014, Second quarterly report www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/dental1314q2 
		
	
	The number of patients seen by an NHS dentist in the 24-month period ending 31 December 2013 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of patients seen Percentage of population 
			 England 29,909,023 55.9 
			 North of England region 9,248,752 61.1 
			 Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear area team 1,167,012 60.5 
			 Cumbria CCG 275,648 54.6 
			 Notes: 1. Percentage of the population figures use ONS mid-year population estimates for 2011. 2. 0.2% of all data are assigned to an “Unallocated” CCG, usually because of an invalid postcode. These can still be assigned to an area team as this information is included in the raw data provided by the BSA, and thus they can also be allocated to a region. Source: NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2013/2014, Second quarterly report www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/dental1314q2

Drugs

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that clinical data from pharmaceutical companies on drugs over 15 years old is made available to clinical researchers;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to advance and promote transparency in the pharmaceutical industry in publishing data on drugs over 15 years old.

Norman Lamb: The Government encourages the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to work with its members to share and promote best practice on clinical trial data transparency and data sharing. The new Clinical Trials Regulation that will be formally adopted by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament in April or May this year obliges the European Commission to produce a guideline on the formatting and sharing of raw data on a voluntary basis.

Drugs: Misuse

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to ensure that people are fully informed of the health risks of taking legal highs.

Jane Ellison: Education plays an important role in helping to ensure that young people are equipped with the information they need to make informed, healthy decisions and to keep themselves safe.
	The Talk to FRANK service provides young people in England with friendly, confidential advice and information about drugs, including 'legal highs'/New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and has tips on how to resist peer pressure to experiment. The service is provided through a range of channels (helpline, website, SMS, email, web chat) to suit a variety of different needs.
	Drug education is part of the science national curriculum at key stage 2 and key stage 3 and provision in this area can be built on through Personal, Social, Health and Economic education.
	From July to October 2013, the Home Office ran communications activity targeted at young people aged 13-18 to raise awareness of the risks, consequences and harms of NPS amongst those contemplating using these drugs by signposting them to the FRANK website for further information and advice about the effects and risks of NPS.
	NPS will continue to remain a key work priority in drug policy and the Minister for Crime Prevention is currently leading a review to look at how the United Kingdom's response to new psychoactive substances can be enhanced beyond the existing measures.
	The review is being conducted by an expert panel, which is looking at the potential enhancement of the current legislative framework as well as health and education.

Eyes: Diseases

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research his Department has commissioned into Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy in the last five years;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the drug Idebonen in treating Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.

Daniel Poulter: We have made no such assessment and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has not issued any guidance on the use of idebenone for the treatment of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).
	Subject to contract, the Department's National Institute for Health Research has approved £0.5 million funding for a trial stratifying patients with LHON for idebenone therapy using mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Health Education: Food

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to Lord Beecham of 20 March 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, column 269, how much the Government has spent on (a) Healthy Start, (b) Change4Life and (c) the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: Total Government expenditure on these schemes in each of the last three complete financial years is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Healthy Start (United Kingdom) 105.3 105.2 104:9 
			 Chanqe4Life (England) 10 10.3 14 
			 School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (England) 40.5 41.3 38.3

NHS: Re-employment

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff in (a) Warrington, (b) the North West and (c) England who have been made redundant since 2010 have since been re-employed by the NHS on (i) a permanent basis, (ii) on a fixed-term contract and (iii) as consultants.

Daniel Poulter: In the context of a national health service workforce of almost 1.3 million, the number of NHS staff to have been made redundant since May 2010 and subsequently re-employed by an NHS organisation is relatively small, estimated to be in the specific geographical region as shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Permanent Fixed-term contract Total 
			 Warrington 5 5 10 
			 North-west 340 200 540 
			 England 2,630 1,420 4,050 
			 Notes: 1. These estimates are derived from unvalidated data from the electronic staff record (ESR) data warehouse, and so only cover redundancies from, and re-employment to, those organisations that use ESR. 2. It is not possible to use ESR records to identify consultants as they are not directly employed by the NHS. 3. The ESR is the human resources and payroll system that covers most NHS employees. ESR was fully rolled out across the NHS in April 2008. The ESR data used in this reply is not centrally validated and its reliability is subject to local coding practice. Redundancies are identified by staff records with a reason for leaving coded as either voluntary or compulsory redundancy. 4. Only those individuals with a leaving date of 1 May 2010 or later and a hire, return, date of 31 December 2013 or earlier have been included in the total. The figure includes those who are recorded as having been re-employed with a substantive, either permanent or fixed-term, contract. It is not possible to identify consultants not directly employed by the NHS using ESR records. 5. The following organisations which use ESR have been identified within each geographical area: “Warrington”: Warrington Primary Care Trust, Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group and the Warrington and Halton NHS Foundation Trust. “North-west”: all organisations listed on ESR as belonging to the North West Local Education and Training Board regions. This includes a range of CCGs, PCTs, Trusts, Foundation Trusts and the North West Ambulance Trust. 6. In a small number of cases, staff are recorded as being made redundant more than once. In such cases, only the latest redundancy is counted. Where staff have more than one start date subsequent to redundancy, only the earliest date is counted. Some staff initially re-employed on a fixed-term contract basis who subsequently are further employed on a permanent basis will only be counted on the fixed-term contract basis, and vice versa.

NHS: Reorganisation

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 18 July 2013, Official Report, columns 125-6WS, on NHS modernisation (costs and benefits), if he will publish a detailed breakdown of the (a) gross savings over the transition period and (b) long-term annual savings.

Jane Ellison: Gross reductions in administration costs over the period 2010-11 to 2012-13 are set out as follows. These are calculated on a basis consistent with the impact assessment for the Health and Social Care Bill (published in September 2011) ie the figures set aside any administrative spending on implementing the reforms.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2010-11 240 
			 2011-12 1,341 
			 2012-13 1,587 
			 Total 3,168 
		
	
	Figures for 2013-14 will be available when the Department's annual report and accounts are published. Consistent with the written ministerial statement given by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on 18 July 2013, Official Report, columns 125-26WS, on the costs and benefits of NHS Modernisation, the cumulative savings arising from the reforms over this Parliament are still expected to be at least £5.5 billion in real terms.
	On a basis consistent with the impact assessment, the long term annual savings arising from the reforms are still expected to be £1.5 billion. Because the set of bodies that existed in 2010-11 is different from the set that will exist in 2014-15 it is not possible to set out how the budgets of individual bodies have changed over this period.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations were administered in England in the last 12 months; what guidance his Department has issued on whether babies born prematurely or at risk of bronchiolitis should be given the RSV vaccination; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of administering the RSV vaccination to all babies born between November and February.

Jane Ellison: Data on the number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisations given in the last 12 months is not available centrally.
	Guidance on the RSV immunisation and on its use, is detailed in the publication, Immunisation against Infectious Diseases, also referred to as the 'Green Book'. This is available via the Public Health England area of the Gov.uk website, or
	www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book
	This guidance is informed by advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, (JCVI), an independent Departmental expert committee and a statutory body constituted for the purpose of advising the Secretary of State on the provision of vaccination and immunisation services.
	RSV is the organism responsible for the majority of cases of bronchiolitis. There is no licensed vaccine available for RSV. However, preventative treatment for RSV is available by passive immunisation with protective antibodies to protect at risk infants over the winter months. Unlike vaccines such as MMR and whooping cough that are routinely given to all children, passive immunity provides only short-term protection and is only appropriate for at-risk pre-term infants for whom RSV infection is likely to cause serious illness or death.
	RSV passive immunisation is usually delivered in a secondary care setting during the RSV season. It is only recommended for young infants born prematurely and children under the age of two years who have predisposing conditions such as chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease or children who are immunodeficient, for whom RSV infection is likely to cause serious illness or death.
	There is research under way to develop a vaccine for RSV. When a licensed vaccine becomes available, it will be considered by the JCVI.

Personal Independence Payment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal independence payment applications have been processed in each month since April 2013.

Michael Penning: Personal independence payment started from April 2013 and although limited data has started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.
	An ad-hoc release of PIP information was published on Tuesday 11 February 2014.
	www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277986/adHoc-pip-statistics-feb14.pdf

Housing Benefit

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the number of tenant evictions resulting from the decision to pay housing benefit direct to claimants rather than landlords.

Steve Webb: The Government does not expect an increase in the number of evictions in relation to the direct payments of housing benefit.
	Most tenants in the private rented sector are already used to receiving their housing payments directly, and managing their own finances.
	For other tenants, including many in the social rented sector, this will represent more of a change. We are working with the advice sector to ensure that claimants are able to access budgeting support services to help them to manage their money successfully. Money advice will be offered at a national and local level, and include a mix of online, telephone and face to face services.
	A minority of claimants may require alternative payment arrangements. This might include paying rent direct to the landlord, making payments more frequently than monthly, or splitting the payment for a couple.

All Party Groups

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

Jennifer Willott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 26 March 2014, Official Report, column 300W.

Children: Day Care

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the potential effects of the provisions of the Consumer Rights Bill on access to, quality of and cost of child care provision; and if he will make a statement;

Jennifer Willott: Where child care services are provided by a trader (eg a nursery school) to a consumer (eg a parent) under a contract, then Chapter 4 (the Services Chapter) of the Consumer Rights Bill will apply.
	This chapter requires that these traders provide services with reasonable care and skill and in line with certain information given about the service. If that is not the case, the chapter sets out remedies which the consumer is entitled to, such as a repeat performance or, failing that, a reduction in price. Consumers may also be entitled to damages under the common law and the Bill makes this clear. Where there are other enactments which apply, this chapter makes clear that those take precedence (clause 53), which ensures that current standards still apply where they are set out in existing enactments.
	In the case of child care vouchers offered under an employer-supported child care scheme, the contract for provision of child care is between the parent (consumer) and the child care provider (the trader), therefore child care provided using the voucher scheme is covered by this chapter of the Consumer Rights Bill.
	We expect that, overall, consumers will benefit from the proposed reforms to the services regime. We estimate quantified benefits of £33 million per annum, of which £9 million is from the reduced risk of consumer detriment. In addition to these quantified benefits there are a range of economic benefits that have not been quantified. The reforms would deliver market-wide changes through promoting confident consumers, experimenting with new products or services and switching suppliers, which in turn should drive innovation, greater competitiveness and deliver new opportunities for economic growth.
	The Government is also committed to improving the accessibility, affordability and quality of child care. To that end we are encouraging schools to offer more nursery provision, making it easier for people to take up childminding by introducing childminder agencies, and have introduced a new entitlement to funded early education for the least advantaged two-year-olds.

Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to encourage businesses to implement and abide by the code of the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) is a non-profit association incorporated in the United States and enrolment is voluntary. The Government does not have any plans to encourage business to implement and abide by the EICC code.
	The UK Government supports corporate responsibility, for example encouraging greater levels of employer supported volunteering, promoting well-being within the workplace and promoting human rights due diligence within business. There are also a number of UK-based organisations providing advice on how business can adopt responsible business practices, such as Business in the Community (www.bitc.org.uk), the Institute for Business Ethics (www.ibe.org.uk) and Trading for Good (www.tradingforgood.co.uk) which is aimed at the SME sector. BIS invited views on corporate responsibility during 2013 and the response to this will be published shortly.

Higher Education: Admissions

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure that universities admit more students from disadvantaged backgrounds whose qualifications meet university admissions requirements.

David Willetts: Higher education (HE) institutions are independent, autonomous bodies and they are responsible for all decisions on student admissions. Government has no legal power to intervene.
	The Chancellor's autumn statement in 2013 announced that for 2014/15, we will make an additional 30,000 places available at publicly-funded higher education institutions, and remove student number controls from 2015/16. This will support wider access to higher education, with a clear trend in recent years that overall growth in student numbers has seen an increase in the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
	We have established a new framework with increased responsibility placed on universities to widen access. As part of this the independent Office for Fair Access (OFFA) agreed 162 Access Agreements for 2014/15, with plans for universities to spend more than £680 million on outreach and other activities to widen access, rising to over £700 million by 2017/18.
	BIS Ministers asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and OFFA to develop a shared strategy for promoting access which maximizes the impact of all the spending by Government, HEFCE and institutions. An interim report was published in March 2013, and we intend to publish the full report shortly.

INEOS

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with INEOS on its refusal to recognise a trade union at the Grangemouth refinery.

Jennifer Willott: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not had any discussions with INEOS in relation to recognition of trade unions at Grangemouth.
	BIS officials have had discussions with INEOS about Grangemouth. INEOS have informed them that Unite remains the recognised union on site.

Intellectual Property

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to amending the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 to remove section 1(c) of schedule 1 on intellectual property contracts.

Jennifer Willott: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) with responsibility for Intellectual Property has received representations on a proposal to amend the Consumer Rights Bill to bring business-to-business intellectual property contracts within the scope of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.
	It was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to justify this amendment. In addition, the Consumer Rights Bill was not thought to be the most appropriate vehicle to make any such change, as it deals primarily with business-to-consumer contracts.

Intellectual Property

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received in favour of the inclusion of intellectual property contracts in the Consumer Rights Bill.

Jennifer Willott: The Consumer Rights Bill was subject to consultation in 2012 and then invited comments again after the publication of a draft Bill in 2013. Neither of those exercises produced support for extending Part 2 of the Bill (Unfair Terms) to business-to-business intellectual property contracts, or for amending the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 to cover such contracts.
	On 16 July 2013 my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) with responsibility for Intellectual Property met with the Creators Rights Alliance who raised this issue in that meeting and in an exchange of letters which followed. In March 2014 he exchanged letters with the National Union of Journalists on the same issue.

Manufacturing Industries

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to assist the manufacturing sector and promote an export-led recovery in the economy.

Michael Fallon: The Government is helping and advising UK manufacturers to grow in a number of ways. The Government-led Manufacturing Advisory Service provides tailor-made practical support from industry experts on all aspects of manufacturing
	www.mymas.org/services
	The 'GREAT' campaign
	www.greatbusiness.gov.uk
	or
	www.gov.uk
	provides eligible businesses with expert support, information and guidance in areas such as funding, staffing and expanding a business.
	As part of Budget 2014, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced that energy intensive industries will benefit from a £7 billion package to help them cut their energy bills. As well as this, the annual investment allowance will increase to £500,000 until 31 December 2015. This is designed to stimulate business investment in the economy by providing an extended time-limited incentive for businesses to invest in plant or machinery.
	AMSCI (the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative) is a £245 million funding competition designed to improve the global competitiveness and resilience of UK advanced manufacturing supply chains. We now have four active national rounds alongside a regional scheme. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has confirmed that there will be future rounds.
	We have put in place high quality partnerships for each of the 11 key sectors at the heart of the industrial strategy. Early successes include the Aerospace Technology Institute and the Advanced Propulsion Centre. Seven "Catapult" innovation and technology centres have been launched with over £200 million of government investment. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult in particular is the catalyst for the future growth and success of manufacturing in the UK.
	Through our reforms to apprenticeships we are encouraging employers to offer more opportunities in engineering. Trailblazers, led by employers and professional bodies, will deliver new apprenticeships standards for a number of occupations across sectors including aerospace, automotive, electrotechnical and energy and utilities.
	At the Davos World Economic Forum in January, the Prime Minister announced that UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Manufacturing Advisory Service were joining forces to launch Reshore UK-a one-stop service to help companies bring production back to UK. Reshore UK is up and running, offering for example a matching and location service supported by continuous advice from a named member of staff.
	UKTI also provide expert trade advice support to UK-based companies wishing to grow their business overseas. In 2012/13 UKTI supported 31,880 businesses, 90% of which were SMEs and this support helped generate additional sales of some £50.9 billion.
	The UK's exports have grown from £270 billion in 2000 to more than £500 billion in 2013, an 87% increase in this period. During a series of 'Export Week' events taking place around the UK from 7-11 April, trade experts will offer seminars, workshops and market briefings to provide practical advice on expanding worldwide.

New Businesses: Government Assistance

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he was first made aware that individuals were being awarded start up loans without business plans, cash flow forecasts and credit checks being required.

Matthew Hancock: The Government was made aware of an accusation by an individual via BBC local radio on 27 November 2013 that the level of scrutiny provided by one partner was insufficient for proving the viability of a loan proposition. The Start-Up Loans Company responded to this accusation at the time.
	It is for the Start-Up Loans Company to work with its partners to ensure that a proper assessment has been made of the viability and affordability of any proposition, in whatever form that assessment might take to provide the necessary level of assurance to make a decision.
	The decision to introduce mandatory credit checking from 1 October 2013 reflects this commitment to ensuring that the business has the best chance of succeeding and the individual taking on the loan is able to survive on the income it generates.
	Start-Up Loans is designed to support those ordinarily unable to access finance from a high street bank. As such, it is inevitable that many will have adverse data in their credit histories. The key test remains the viability of the business proposal and the ability of the applicant to make it work. On that basis, the Start-Up Loans Company does not permit an adverse credit check to be the sole reason for declining a loan.

Railways: Manufacturing Industries

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to support the rail manufacturing industry.

Michael Fallon: The Government has provided specific support for the rail sector as follows:
	two funding calls by the Technology Strategy Board related to innovation in rail, joint funding totalling £3.5 million from this Department and the Department of Transport to the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) to establish the Traction and Rolling Stock Training Academy; and
	support under round 3 of the Regional Growth Fund to transform the Siemens facility at Hebburn into a site specialising in the manufacture of rolling stock components.
	Companies in the rail manufacturing sector can access help and advice to grow their business through 'GREAT":
	www.greatbusiness.gov.uk
	or
	www.gov.uk
	Eligible businesses can gain support in areas such as running, funding, staffing and expanding a business. The Government-funded Manufacturing Advisory Service provides practical support on all aspects of manufacturing, including direct access to manufacturing experts with a proven track record:
	www.mymas.org/services
	There is also support available from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) for those companies wishing to grow through international trade.
	In addition, we have established the Rail Supply Group, which will bring together Government (this Department and the Department for Transport) and industry to maximise the economic potential of the UK rail sector. Terence Watson, the UK President of Alstom, will be the industry co-chair of the group. He is currently working closely with industry and Government stakeholders to consider the membership, operation and initial priorities of the group.
	The group will deliver significant benefits including:
	providing us with a better understanding of the capability of UK suppliers to inform our rail investment plans and identify where Government support or intervention is required;
	building the capability of UK suppliers so that they are more likely to win work both here and abroad;
	reducing the risk of UK suppliers facing "feast and famine" in their order books and providing early warning of potential problems;
	improving how Government and industry promote UK capability overseas; and
	addressing an emerging skills gap as older workers retire and rail systems become more complex.
	Ultimately, a more innovative and capable UK supply chain that has a clearer understanding of Government policies and investment plans should result in lower industry costs and a better, more reliable railway.

Students: Loans

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether additional funding allocated to the higher RAB charge will come out of non-ringfenced DEL.

David Willetts: RAB charges are managed in accordance with the consolidated budgeting guidance. This Department and HM Treasury have agreed a target RAB and stock charge for post browne loans in each financial year. If either charge increases above the target level (set at 36% for 2013-14) it will be split between BIS resource DEL and BIS resource AME budgets according to the new framework agreement. This target forms part of a framework to incentivise the Department to manage the long-term costs of the system.

Unfair Practices

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to amending the Consumer Rights Bill to provide greater protection for creators against unfair contracts.

Jennifer Willott: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) with responsibility for intellectual property has received representations on a proposal to amend the Consumer Rights Bill so that part 2 (Unfair Terms) applies to business-to-business intellectual property contracts, or alternatively to use the Bill to bring such contracts within the scope of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.
	It was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to justify this amendment. The Consumer Rights Bill was not thought to be an appropriate vehicle to make this change, as the Bill deals primarily with business-to-consumer contracts. However, where creators fit the definition of “consumer” within the Bill they will benefit from the provisions in part 2 (Unfair Terms) including, where applicable, the fairness test.

All Party Groups

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his Department's policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

Simon Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude) on 26 March 2014, Official Report, column 300W.

Assets: Russia

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if he will seek an estimate from the (a) Bailiwick of Jersey and (b) Bailiwick of Guernsey of the value of Russian (a) financial and (b) non-financial assets held in each such territory;
	(2)  if he take steps to extend the requirement to apply sanctions set out in Council Regulation (EU) 269/2014 to the (a) Bailiwick of Jersey and (b) Bailiwick of Guernsey.

Shailesh Vara: The Crown Dependencies are not part of the UK but are self-governing dependencies of the Crown. This means they have their own directly elected legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems and their own courts of law. It is therefore not for the UK to extend the application of the sanctions set out in the Council Regulation (EU) 269/2014. Equivalent measures have been implemented by the Crown Dependencies, who have kept Her Majesty's Government updated about their activities in this area.
	Her Majesty's Government does not routinely request information on the value of particular assets held in the Crown Dependencies.
	The UK and the Crown Dependencies recognise the importance of working together to promote the application of high international standards and implementing sanctions and asset freezing measures.

Crime: Nature Conservation

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in England have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of offences concerning the illegal wildlife trade in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: The number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty of triable either way offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulation 1997, together with Intentionally obstruct an authorised person acting in accordance with the powers conferred by Regulation, under Section 9(6) of the regulations, in England and Wales from 2011 to 2012 can be viewed in the table. Please note data for the triable either way offences prior to 2011, together with a large quantity of other offences to this day are kept on paper records which would require manual inspection. This would be at disproportionate cost.
	Court Proceedings data for what can be provided by separate identification for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.
	Charging data is not held by the Ministry of Justice
	
		
			 Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced at all courts of offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations, England and Wales, 2011 to 20121, 2, 3 
			 Outcome 2011 2012 
			 Proceeded against 6 9 
		
	
	
		
			 Found guilty 7 1 
			 1 The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown court, may be sentenced in the following year. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Dangerous Driving: Sentencing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if the Department will review the length of sentencing given to those who kill by dangerous driving and speeding.

Jeremy Wright: Severe maximum penalties, of 14 years imprisonment, are available for those who cause death through dangerous driving or under the influence of drink or drugs and statistics show that the overwhelming majority of those convicted for these offences receive lengthy custodial sentences. The maximum penalty for causing death by careless driving is five years imprisonment and for causing death by disqualified, unlicensed or uninsured driving is two years imprisonment. We are keeping the law in this area under review. If any changes are needed, we will bring forward proposals.
	Guidance to the judiciary is produced independently of Government, by the Sentencing Council. This is in line with the principle that, while the Government decides what maximum penalties should be, the courts are responsible for deciding what sentence to impose within those limits.
	The sentencing guideline on causing death by driving was published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in 2008. It covers the offences of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving as well as causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence of drink or drugs and causing death by driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured. Last year, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), wrote to the Sentencing Council (as it now is) to ask them to review the death by driving guideline and they have agreed to include this in their programme of work.

Domestic Violence

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the implementation of the so-called Eve’s Law.

Damian Green: The Government takes the issue of domestic violence very seriously and is committed to ensuring greater protection for victims of all forms of violence.
	The issue raised by the Eve’s Law campaign is complex and cuts across a number of justice jurisdictions, and into many areas of a victim’s interaction with the state and other agencies.
	Having considered the issues raised by the campaign, this Department is not persuaded that primary legislation is the necessary and appropriate way forward. However, we are committed to taking action to improve the protection of personal information of victims and will identify opportunities in the cross-Government programmes that are tackling the priority issues of domestic and sexual abuse.
	I refer my hon. Friend to my response to questions raised in the House by the hon. Member for Barnsley Central (Dan Jarvis), regarding the Eve’s Law campaign, on 17 December 2013, Official Report, column 607, and 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 480W.

Matrimonial Property

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the introduction of legally binding pre-nuptial agreements.

Simon Hughes: The Law Commission published its report on Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements on 27 February 2014.
	The report focuses on clarifying the law in the areas of financial “need” and nuptial agreements and makes three broad recommendations:
	1. that written guidance is produced on financial need;
	2. that the feasibility is assessed of producing numerical guidance to help couples to calculate the likely financial outcome of divorce or dissolution; and
	3. that pre-nuptial agreements are made statutorily binding.
	The Government is grateful to the Law Commission for their hard work on this complex area of law.
	The Government is giving the report careful consideration. An interim response will be published by August 2014 and a full response by February 2015. These are the timescales established in protocol between the Law Commission and Government.

Pornography

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what meetings his Department has had with (a) Ministers and (b) officials at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to discuss proposals in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill on extreme pornography.

Damian Green: The Government is extending the extreme pornography offence to capture pornographic images depicting rape and other non-consensual penetrative sexual activity.
	Officials in the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have liaised closely on this matter.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answers of 5 February 2014, Official Report, column 293W and 28 February 2014, Official Report, column 548W, on prisoners: foreign nationals, which three countries have the next largest number of foreign nationals in UK prisons; and what steps he is taking to return those offenders to secure detention in their own countries.

Jeremy Wright: Data on the nationality of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) held in custody is published in the quarterly offender management statistics.
	Table 1.6:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/276084/prison-population-tables-q3-2013.xls
	The countries with the 7th, 8th and 9th largest populations of FNOs in UK prisons on 31 December 2013 are:
	7 Nigeria—(469)
	8 Somalia—(430)
	9 India—(426)
	We signed a Prisoner Transfer Arrangement (PTA) with Nigeria in January and we expect to see transfers before the end of the year.
	We do not have any prisoner transfer arrangements with Somalia at present, and security concerns and the requirement for prison reform may provide challenges in the short-term. We have a voluntary PTA with India and are planning to work to try and make this more effective.
	The Prisoner Transfer process is just one mechanism for removing Foreign National Offenders (FNOs). The number of FNOs deported under the Early Removal Scheme (ERS) has increased under this Government. In 2013, we removed nearly 2,000 FNOs under ERS and under the Tariff Expired Removal Scheme (TERS), which we introduced in May 2012, we have removed 234 FNOs to date.

Probation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who the current bidders for the Transforming Rehabilitation prime provider contracts are in each of the 21 geographic areas; and which bidders for these contracts have indicated but then withdrawn an interest.

Jeremy Wright: We have a robust and diverse market. In mid December 2013, the bidders who passed the first stage of the competition to win the regional rehabilitation contracts were announced. The list includes a mix of private and voluntary sector partnerships with more than 50 organisations represented-from charities experienced in tackling a range of issues affecting offenders, to small and large British businesses and experienced multinationals. All of these Tier one bidders have experience in working with offenders or across the wider Criminal Justice System. Approximately one third of the bidders included a potential mutual organisation within their consortium. A list of the bidders who have been successful at this stage can be found at:
	https://www.justice.gov.uk/transforming-rehabilitation/competition
	The process to award Community Rehabilitation Company contracts is ongoing and the details of which bidders are interested in bidding for each Contract Package Area (CPA) is commercially sensitive information, which it would not be right to make public at this stage as this would affect the bidding process for the overall competition. Additionally, for similar commercial reasons it is not general practice to release information on those organisations which have withdrawn from the competition.
	As requested by the authority, all bidders updated their CPA preferences on 22 January. The current lot preferences are an initial indication of the bidders for each region. This is not finalised and we will be conducting another refresh of lot preferences before final bids are submitted.

Sentencing: Wales

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were sentenced in the North Wales Police Force area to immediate custody for (a) less than six months and (b) six months or longer in each of the last six years, broken down by sex; and for which offences they were sentenced.

Jeremy Wright: Since 2010 the proportion of individuals receiving immediate custodial sentences in England and Wales and the length of those sentences has increased. Severe penalties are available for serious offences.
	The number of defendants sentenced to immediate custody at all courts by offence type, gender and sentence lengths in North Wales police force area from 2007 to 2012 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Please note that court proceedings statistics for the year 2013 are planned to be published by the Ministry of Justice in May 2014.
	
		
			 Offenders sentenced to immediate custody at all courts, by offence type, gender and sentence lengths in North Wales Police force area, 2007-121,2 
			      Of which: 
			 Gender Year Offence type Sentenced Total immediate custody Less than six months Six months and over 
			 Male 2007 Violence against the person 578 190 28 162 
			   Sexual offences 56 32 4 28 
			   Burglary 248 94 32 62 
			   Robbery 37 30 1 29 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 813 120 95 25 
			   Fraud and forgery 156 36 11 25 
			   Criminal damage 274 30 15 15 
			   Drug offences 387 90 16 74 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 525 121 34 87 
			   Motoring offences 65 18 3 15 
			   Summary non motoring offences 3,567 158 151 7 
			   Summary motoring offences 8,854 82 79 3 
			   Totals 15,560 1,001 469 532 
			        
			  2008 Violence against the person 557 218 53 165 
			   Sexual offences 81 48 5 43 
			   Burglary 287 122 32 90 
			   Robbery 26 26 0 26 
		
	
	
		
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 1,003 150 127 23 
			   Fraud and forgery 151 50 21 29 
			   Criminal damage 322 35 27 8 
			   Drug offences 455 73 9 64 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 530 132 53 79 
			   Motoring offences 58 23 3 20 
			   Summary non motoring offences 3,413 190 178 12 
			   Summary motoring offences 7,694 65 63 2 
			   Totals 14,577 1,132 571 561 
			        
			  2009 Violence against the person 540 210 43 167 
			   Sexual offences 55 31 3 28 
			   Burglary 252 127 33 94 
			   Robbery 39 37 0 37 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 1,090 205 159 46 
			   Fraud and forgery 162 54 23 31 
			   Criminal damage 185 21 10 11 
			   Drug offences 482 152 19 133 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 645 199 98 101 
			   Motoring offences 68 27 5 22 
			   Summary non motoring offences 4,055 265 252 13 
			   Summary motoring offences 6,856 50 49 1 
			   Totals 14,429 1,378 694 684 
			        
			  2010 Violence against the person 587 200 35 165 
			   Sexual offences 75 44 5 39 
			   Burglary 278 113 34 79 
			   Robbery 29 24 0 24 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 1,299 196 177 19 
			   Fraud and forgery 182 40 20 20 
			   Criminal damage 222 20 11 9 
			   Drug offences 555 116 16 100 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 694 207 101 106 
			   Motoring offences 56 9 0 9 
			   Summary non motoring offences 3,572 205 200 5 
			   Summary motoring offences 6,442 37 37 0 
			   Totals 13,991 1,211 636 575 
			        
			  2011 Violence against the person 494 192 51 141 
			   Sexual offences 59 37 4 33 
			   Burglary 288 150 50 100 
			   Robbery 39 37 0 37 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 1,178 230 193 37 
			   Fraud and forgery 170 51 19 32 
			   Criminal damage 187 27 13 14 
			   Drug offences 511 113 19 94 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 494 124 69 55 
			   Motoring offences 51 16 1 15 
			   Summary non motoring offences 3,069 221 214 7 
			   Summary motoring offences 4,665 26 26 0 
			   Totals 11,205 1,224 659 565 
			        
		
	
	
		
			  2012 Violence against the person 474 212 49 163 
			   Sexual offences 81 57 4 53 
			   Burglary 283 145 44 101 
			   Robbery 56 55 0 55 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 1,126 224 183 41 
			   Fraud and forgery 123 37 16 21 
			   Criminal damage 123 18 11 7 
			   Drug offences 420 116 11 105 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 473 148 52 96 
			   Motoring offences 56 19 4 15 
			   Summary non motoring offences 2,810 222 215 7 
			   Summary motoring offences 3,929 44 43 1 
			   Totals 9,954 1,297 632 665 
			        
			 Female 2007 Violence against the person 84 16 7 9 
			   Sexual offences 3 2 0 2 
			   Burglary 16 5 2 3 
			   Robbery 3 1 0 1 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 206 18 16 2 
			   Fraud and forgery 62 1 0 1 
			   Criminal damage 45 1 1 0 
			   Drug offences 48 7 2 5 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 67 8 4 4 
			   Motoring offences 4 2 0 2 
			   Summary non motoring offences 1,734 15 15 0 
			   Summary motoring offences 1,688 0 0 0 
			   Totals 3,960 76 47 29 
			        
			  2008 Violence against the person 67 10 2 8 
			   Sexual offences 0 0 0 0 
			   Burglary 28 9 1 8 
			   Robbery 2 2 0 2 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 229 23 22 1 
			   Fraud and forgery 67 9 7 2 
			   Criminal damage 53 5 1 4 
			   Drug offences 58 4 2 2 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 68 8 7 1 
			   Motoring offences 3 0 0 0 
			   Summary non motoring offences 1,728 14 12 2 
			   Summary motoring offences 1,689 0 0 0 
			   Totals 3,992 84 54 30 
			        
			  2009 Violence against the person 77 13 2 11 
			   Sexual offences 0 0 0 0 
			   Burglary 15 7 2 5 
			   Robbery 2 1 0 1 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 292 23 17 6 
			   Fraud and forgery 66 12 6 6 
			   Criminal damage 16 3 0 3 
			   Drug offences 57 13 2 11 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 92 13 11 2 
			   Motoring offences 5 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			   Summary non motoring offences 2,178 13 13 - 
			   Summary motoring offences 1,805 3 3 - 
			   Totals 4,605 101 56 45 
			        
			  2010 Violence against the person 100 10 1 9 
			   Sexual offences 1 0 0 0 
			   Burglary 11 6 0 6 
			   Robbery 4 4 0 4 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 267 15 14 1 
			   Fraud and forgery 57 5 3 2 
			   Criminal damage 29 0 0 0 
			   Drug offences 57 6 0 6 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 99 15 10 5 
			   Motoring offences 0 0 0 0 
			   Summary non motoring offences 1,930 13 12 1 
			   Summary motoring offences 1,713 0 0 0 
			   Totals 4,268 74 40 34 
			        
			  2011 Violence against the person 93 13 1 12 
			   Sexual offences 0 0 0 0 
			   Burglary 18 3 0 3 
			   Robbery 2 1 0 1 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 316 13 13 - 
			   Fraud and forgery 76 9 1 8 
			   Criminal damage 24 2 1 1 
			   Drug offences 42 5 0 5 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 88 17 9 8 
			   Motoring offences 3 1 0 1 
			   Summary non motoring offences 1,664 9 9 0 
			   Summary motoring offences 1,283 1 1 0 
			   Totals 3,609 74 35 39 
			        
			  2012 Violence against the person 70 14 3 11 
			   Sexual offences 0 0 0 0 
			   Burglary 15 6 0 6 
			   Robbery 2 1 0 1 
			   Theft and Handling stolen goods 301 34 27 7 
			   Fraud and forgery 54 10 2 8 
			   Criminal damage 17 1 0 1 
			   Drug offences 43 8 0 8 
			   Other (excluding motoring offences) 49 13 6 7 
			   Motoring offences 7 0 0 0 
			   Summary non motoring offences 1,605 10 10 - 
			   Summary motoring offences 1,070 0 0 0 
			   Totals 3,233 97 48 49 
			 1 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he first became aware of the so-called comfort letters issued to on-the-runs; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: The Government has announced an independent inquiry led by Lady Justice Hallett which will set out the facts in relation to the operation and extent of the 'on the runs' scheme. This issue is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Youth Custody

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what was the (a) capacity and (b) population of each (A) secure training centre, (B) young offender institution and (C) secure children's home on 1 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013 and (v) 2014.

Jeremy Wright: Overall crime and proven offending by young people has fallen in recent years. Fewer young people have entered the criminal justice system, and as a result fewer young people have ended up in custody. This has allowed excess capacity in the youth secure estate to be decommissioned.
	The following table shows the (a) capacity and (b) population of each secure children's home, secure training centre and under-18 young offender institution at the end of February in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 and at the end of January in 2014 (this is the latest available published data for 2014). This relates to either the last Friday of the month in question, or the first Friday of the following month, depending on which is closest to final day of the month. Data for the end of February therefore offers the closest available published data to 1 March.
	The “capacity” figure relates to the number of beds available, allowing for any “out of commission” beds due to, for example, damage to rooms or contractual changes.
	This information comes from the Youth Justice Board's Secure Accommodation Clearing House System (SACHS) database and eAsset database. The January 2014 database is provisional. The final 2013-14 figures will be finalised in 2013-14 Youth Justice Statistics to be published in January 2015.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.
	
		
			 Table 1: Capacity and population of each secure children’s home, secure training centre and young offender institution at the end of February for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and at the end of January 2014 
			 Sector Establishment February 2010 February 2011 February 2012 
			   Capacity Population Capacity Population Capacity Population 
			 Secure children's homes (under 18) Aldine House 4 3 4 4 4 4 
			  Atkinson Unit 3 3 0 0 0 0 
			  Aycliffe 30 19 30 13 30 28 
			  Barton Moss 20 20 20 18 20 20 
			  Clayfields 12 9 15 15 15 15 
			  East Moor 34 30 34 27 25 24 
			  Hillside 15 15 17 17 17 17 
			  Kyloe House 3 2 0 0 0 0 
			  Lincolnshire 9 9 10 10 10 9 
			  Red Bank 28 25 29 25 29 24 
			  Swanwick Lodge 12 12 12 12 13 13 
			  Vinney Green 21 18 21 21 21 21 
			  Secure Children's Homes total 191 165 192 162 184 175 
			         
			 Secure training centres (under 18) Hassockfield 58 51 58 42 58 52 
			  Medway 76 71 76 71 76 70 
			  Oakhill 80 74 80 76 80 70 
			  Rainsbrook 87 71 87 82 87 84 
			  Secure Training Centres total 301 267 301 271 301 276 
			         
			 Young offender institutions (including 18) Ashfield 400 236 360 342 360 287 
			  Castington 167 106 0 0 0 0 
			  Cookham Wood 98 99 100 93 131 125 
			  Downview 16 9 16 11 16 13 
			  Eastwood Park 16 14 16 11 16 13 
			  Feltham 236 224 238 231 240 205 
			  Foston Hall 16 9 0 0 0 0 
			  Hindley 415 346 417 319 417 289 
			  Huntercombe 360 194 0 0 0 0 
			  New Hall 26 14 26 8 9 6 
			  Parc 64 63 63 49 64 53 
			  Stoke Heath 144 132 202 53 0 0 
			  Warren Hill 201 158 127 121 177 133 
			  Werrington 160 133 153 141 142 136 
			  Wetherby 407 284 382 355 371 346 
			  Young Offender Institutions total 2,726 2,021 2,100 1,734 1,943 1,606 
			  Total 3,218 2,453 2,593 2,167 2,428 2,057 
		
	
	
		
			 Sector Establishment February 2013 January 2014 
			   Capacity Population Capacity Population 
			 Secure children's homes (under 18) Aldine House 4 1 4 4 
			  Atkinson Unit 0 0 0 0 
			  Aycliffe 24 13 24 17 
			  Barton Moss 18 17 16 12 
			  Clayfields 14 10 14 14 
			  East Moor 25 19 25 24 
		
	
	
		
			  Hillside 17 14 17 11 
			  Kyloe House 0 0 0 0 
			  Lincolnshire 10 6 10 10 
			  Red Bank 21 11 21 16 
			  Swanwick Lodge 12 12 10 9 
			  Vinney Green 21 17 21 21 
			  Secure Children's Homes total 166 120 162 138 
			       
			 Secure training centres (under 18) Hassockfield 58 34 58 43 
			  Medway 76 71 68 62 
			  Oakhill 80 69 80 80 
			  Rainsbrook 81 66 87 81 
			  Secure Training Centres total 295 240 293 266 
			       
			 Young offender institutions (including 18) Ashfield 360 103 0 0 
			  Castington 0 0 0 0 
			  Cookham Wood 125 97 126 120 
			  Downview 16 5 0 0 
			  Eastwood Park 14 7 0 0 
			  Feltham 240 165 240 226 
			  Foston Hall 0 0 0 0 
			  Hindley 431 180 248 161 
			  Huntercombe 0 0 0 0 
			  New Hall 9 2 0 0 
			  Parc 64 36 64 47 
			  Stoke Heath 0 0 0 0 
			  Warren Hill 181 115 0 0 
			  Werrington 155 131 160 118 
			  Wetherby 392 223 259 214 
			  Young Offender Institutions total 1,987 1,064 1,097 886 
			  Total 2,448 1,424 1,552 1,290